South Africa made history on Sunday night, lifting the 2025 CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations title for the first time after a hard-fought 1-0 win over Morocco at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo.
Under the guidance of coach Raymond Mdaka, Amajita claimed the prestigious trophy in dramatic fashion – and VAR played a key role in determining the final outcome.
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The decisive moment came deep into the second half when Gomolemo Kekana latched onto a long-range pass from goalkeeper Fletcher Smythe-Lowe and slotted home what appeared to be the winning goal.
However, the assistant referee’s flag immediately went up for offside, casting doubt on the breakthrough.
After a tense review by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) team, the goal was allowed to stand – Kekana had timed his run perfectly, and the replay showed he was onside.
That moment proved pivotal as South Africa held on to claim the title.
The Role of VAR Explained
Refereeing analyst Victor Hlungwani praised the intervention of VAR and used the incident as an educational moment to explain how the system functions and why it was vital in this scenario.
“VAR operates in four key areas during a match – goals (whether to allow or disallow), penalty incidents, straight red cards, and cases of mistaken identity,” Hlungwani said, speaking exclusively to the Siya crew. “So, when a goal is scored, there’s an automatic check. In this case, there was a suspicion of offside, and it was extremely close. VAR reviewed it and found no issue – the goal was rightly given.”
Hlungwani emphasised how crucial the technology was in ensuring fairness: “If VAR wasn’t there, that goal could have been disallowed incorrectly, and the match might have gone into extra time. The presence of VAR ensured a credible, accurate decision, and that’s what the game needed. It was great to see VAR used effectively in a credible way.”
VAR in South Africa: Still a Work in Progress
While VAR is already being used in continental and international competitions, its implementation in South African domestic football remains a work in progress.
Hlungwani highlighted the complexity of rolling out VAR in the country, particularly around training and testing the technology under real match conditions.
“There is a tender process underway, but training takes time,” he explained. “To fast-track it, you’d need three to four weeks of full-time training for referees. After that, the system must be tested in live matches. Fortunately, we have DDC (DStv Diski Challenge) games, school sports, and GDL (Gauteng Development League) matches that are broadcast live, so those platforms can be used to trial VAR before taking it to the Premier Division.”
However, Hlungwani cautioned that there are still unknowns:
“No one has confirmed who has been awarded the tender, or when training will officially begin. There was talk during the Nedbank Cup that VAR might be introduced, but so far there’s no clear timeline,” concluded Hlungwani.
A small group of South African referees are already certified to work with VAR. Among them are Zakhele Siwela, Luxolo Badi, Akhona Makalima, and Abongile Tom – all of whom have passed VAR training.
Yet, until more officials are trained and the system tested in live environments, widespread implementation remains on hold.
Government Support and Ministerial Promise
Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie has recently spoken about the need to introduce VAR in South African football, stressing that the goal is to enhance fairness and credibility in officiating.
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He has indicated that government is ready to support its implementation and is engaging stakeholders to accelerate the process – though concrete timelines are still to be confirmed.
As South Africa celebrates a historic U20 AFCON title, the role of VAR in securing the result cannot be overlooked. For Hlungwani, the moment was more than just about a correct call – it was a powerful example of technology adding value to the game for South Africa.
