Zwane and Hunt slam ‘bizarre’ penalty call at Danie Craven

The integrity of officiating in the Betway Premiership has once again come under fire following a highly controversial penalty decision during Stellenbosch FC’s 1-0 victory over AmaZulu FC on Friday night.

Both coaches, Arthur Zwane and Gavin Hunt, were left in disbelief by referee Moreki Lekwape’s decision to award a spot-kick in the 64th minute, despite their teams being on opposite sides of the result.

Stellenbosch secured the win through an Ibraheem Jabaar strike in the 33rd minute, moving them up to ninth on the log. The victory marked a successful week for Hunt’s men, following their midweek triumph over Kaizer Chiefs. However, the post-match discourse was dominated by a 64th-minute incident involving Usuthu goalkeeper Darren Johnson and Devin Titus.

The drama unfolded when Johnson attempted to clear a ball under pressure from a rushing Titus. While the contact appeared to be a standard follow-through from the goalkeeper’s kicking motion, Lekwape stunned the Danie Craven Stadium by pointing to the spot.

Jabaar eventually failed to convert the penalty, but the decision sparked a rare moment of total agreement between the two veteran tacticians.

Hunt: ‘I don’t know what the hell that was’

Despite his side benefiting from the call, Stellenbosch head coach Gavin Hunt was remarkably candid in his assessment, admitting that the decision felt unearned.

“I don’t know what the hell that was for,” Hunt told the media. “I don’t think Devin [Titus] touched the ball. I think it was more of a follow-through, and he missed it. Yeah, it was a little bit harsh. I don’t think it was a penalty.”

Hunt even drew comparisons to a previous stint with SuperSport United, noting that while he has seen similar calls before, they remain difficult to justify from a footballing perspective.

Zwane: ‘It damages the image of the league’

AmaZulu coach Arthur Zwane was far more scathing, suggesting that such officiating errors have a long-term negative impact on the reputation of South African football.

“When a match official gives a dubious penalty like that, it tells you that something is not right,” Zwane remarked. “That was never a penalty—not on any given day. They had the chance to score and kill the game off, but these are the kind of incidents we see week in and week out.”

Zwane emphasised that while the missed penalty meant the scoreline remained 1-0, the principle of the matter was what concerned him most. “It’s exactly these decisions that damage the image of the PSL,” he concluded.

The victory keeps Stellenbosch’s momentum high as they climb the table, while AmaZulu are left to rue a performance that was overshadowed by a whistle that left everyone—including the winning coach—scratching their heads.