By publicly dissecting Siphesihle Ndlovu’s challenge and declaring him fortunate to escape a red card, former referee Victor Hlungwani has officially transformed the ‘red carpet’ conspiracy from locker-room chatter into a legitimate institutional crisis that now threatens the credibility of the entire Betway Premiership finale.
This intervention is far more damaging than any anonymous social-media rant. Daniel Cardoso, the former Kaizer Chiefs defender, first lit the fuse weeks ago by alleging a systemic pattern of favourable officiating toward Orlando Pirates—a claim dismissed by many as sour grapes from a bitter rival. Hlungwani, a man who once wore the whistle himself, has now given that accusation forensic validation. His analysis of Ndlovu’s 62nd-minute studs-up lunge on a Sundowns midfielder in the penultimate round was not a casual observation; it was an official, expert corroboration that an obvious sending-off offence went unpunished. The match referee allowed play to continue, no VAR intervention followed, and Pirates went on to secure a vital point that keeps their title hopes