BY FORTUNE MBELE ZIFA Southern Region Division One side Binga Pirates will be summoned to appear before a disciplinary hearing after the team’s fans assaulted referee Hardly Ndazi accusing him of bias in a home match that they lost to ZPC Hwange on Saturday.
ZPC Hwange came from behind to beat Binga Pirates 2-1.
Binga Pirates had led two minutes into the game, but the visitors equalised deep into the first half after they were awarded a penalty which was converted by Carrington Gomba.
Fortune Nkomazana had been hacked down inside the penalty box and a no-nonsense Ndazi, who has had problems with a number of clubs, including in the Premier Soccer League (PSL), pointed to the spot and Gomba converted.
Nkomazana then scored the winner and after Ndazi blew to end the game, he was accosted by a member of the Binga Pirates technical team and club fans who assaulted him.
A video of Ndazi being pummelled by fans has gone viral on social media.
It could not be established if Ndazi reported the matter to the police, but Zifa Southern Region board member (finance) Tizirayi Luphahla yesterday said Binga Pirates would face disciplinary action over the matter.
“We will be summoning them for a disciplinary hearing. We are still waiting to get the match commissioner’s report and then we can take appropriate action,” Luphahla said.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
“We don’t take kindly to such kind of behaviour like what happened in Binga. We are not sure if anyone was arrested, but we are awaiting for reports from the referee and the match commissioner. Hopefully, we get those by Wednesday (today). But before the disciplinary committee processes start, we will obviously invoke other administrative processes. For instance, they (Binga Pirates) can’t continue to use that stadium if people are going to be molested. We are going to set a very good example,” Zifa Southern Region chairperson Andrew Tapela said.
At Barbourfields Stadium early last month, in a PSL match pitting Bulawayo Chiefs and Dynamos, there was a 15-minute stoppage after the visitors protested a penalty that had been awarded to the Ninjas by Ndazi.
Dynamos fans threw missiles onto the pitch and in the ensuing melee, a fan believed to be a Dynamos supporter invaded the pitch and confronted the referee.
Dynamos have since been summoned to appear before a PSL disciplinary committee for the untoward behaviour of their fans.
The Glamour Boys are believed to have expressed reservations over the Hwange referee handling the match against Bulawayo Chiefs.
It was not the first time Dynamos had issues with Ndazi.
Meanwhile, Hwange continued with their unbeaten run in the Division One even after the departure of their head coach Bongani Mafu, who has since joined Ngezi Platinum Stars as assistant to Benjani Mwaruwari.
Hwange beat CIWU 5-0 to maintain their position at the top with nine wins and three draws from 12 games with 31 points.
Weekend results
Saturday: Arenel Movers 5, Casmyn 1, Talen Vision 1, Quality Foods 0, Zimbabwe Saints 1, Indonsakusa 2, Makhandeni Pirates 1, Ajax hotspurs 2, CIWU 0, Hwange 4, Binga Pirates 1, ZPC Hwange 2, Mosi Rovers 1, Mainline 2
Sunday: Mountain Climbers 2, Indlovu Iyanyathela 0, Ratanang 1, Bosso 90 1
l Follow us on Twitter @NewsDayZimbabwe
