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SA referees set for CAF duty

Two highly rated South African match officials will be flying the country’s flag high when they officiate in in the CAF Confederation Cup next month.

South African referee Abongile Tom and assistant referee Zakhele Siwela have been assigned by the Confederation of African Football [CAF] to officiate in two CAF interclub competitions in March 2023. 

SAFA have confirmed that the duo will jet off to Egypt next week for the CAF Confederation Cup clash between Future FC [Egypt] and Moroccan side ASFAR Club [Morocco]. 

The eagerly-awaited critical mouthwatering clash is scheduled to be played on Wednesday, 8 March 2023. 

The game will take place at Cairo- Al Salam Stadium.

LUXOLO BADI TO ACCOMPANY ABONGILE TOM AND ZAKHELE SIWELA 

Tom and Siwela will be accompanied by their fellow countryman Luxolo Badi, who will serve as the fourth match official. 

Meanwhile, Ivanildo Meirelles De Oliveira of Angola will be the second assistant referee.

SA referee Zakhele Siwela on the touchline.
South African match official Zakhele Siwela on duty

The South African football governing body further stated that Tom and Siwela will then return to the country for the domestic football. Thereafter, fly out again for their next assignment. 

TOM AND SIWELA TO SHIFT FOCUS TO AFCON QUALIFIERS ASSIGNMENT, TO BE JOINED BY ALFRED CHAVANI 

The pair will then shift their focus to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON] qualifiers. They will officiate an encounter between Congo DR and Mauritania on Friday, 24 March 2023. 

In this AFCON showdown, Tom and Siwela will be accompanied by another South African rising referee Alfred Chavani.

Chavani will be the fourth match official, with Angola’s Ivanildo Meirelles De Oliveira as the second assistant referee. 

To put a cherry on top, Tom was the man in charge during DStv Premiership Soweto derby when Kaizer Chiefs defeated Orlando Pirates 1-0 at the FNB Stadium over the weekend. 

Whereas Siwela was part of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup together with Victor Gomes, who has since retired from officiating. 

RELATED STORY: Safa heap praise on Gomes and Siwela after Champions League performance

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