Young referee Mfanelo Hlungwani has followed in the footsteps of his award-winning father, Victor and is now carving out his own reputation in the SAFA ABC Motsepe League.
Victor Hlungwani officiated in the PSL for 20 years until he retired in 2022. He was also on the FIFA international panel. He was voted for PSL Referee of the Year in the 2011/2012 season.
Hlungwani, who is now a TV analyst, has passed on the baton to his son Mfanelo. The 18-year-old matriculant started as a football player until the age of 15, when he could no longer ignore the calling to take over the whistle from his father.
MFANELO HLUNGWANI FOLLOWED IN HIS FAMOUS FATHER’S FOOTSTEPS TO TAKE UP OFFICIATING
“My father has been the best influence, and I thank God every day for a person like him,” Mfanelo told FARPost.
“My father officiated at FIFA level. So I want to do better and pass that level. I started refereeing at the age of 15 for youth games. So I did better as a referee, and I was subsequently promoted to the LFAs, and I am officiating in the ABC Motsepe League now.”
FORMER PSL REFEREE OF THE YEAR PROUD TO PASS ON THE BATON
Meanwhile, Hlungwani senior says he has been impressed with the feedback on his son’s performances.
Hlungwani says he also had to assist in imparting more knowledge to Mfanelo.
“My encouragement was that ‘you can reach greater heights. As long as you read the laws of the game, understand and interpret them correctly’.
“So I had to train him myself because the people responsible for training them here, I realised that there is a gap in terms of his interpretation.
“But after training him, I knew that when I put the laws of the game on his head, he would never disappoint me when he was on the field. What I am getting so far is that he has been doing well.”
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Source: https://farpost.co.za/2025/06/16/like-father-like-son-victor-hlungwanis-son-takes-over-the-whistle/
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