Top ref Moses Dlamini passes on

MBABANE – Premier league referee Moses Dlamini has passed on.

The whistle-man who was also a police officer based at the Headquarters in Mbabane died on Monday while under-going treatment at Mankayane Government Hospital after a short illness.

His elder brother, Velaphi Dlamini, confirmed the sad news yesterday, and further announced that his funeral will be held at his parental home at Mangcongco on the south of Bhunya on Sunday.

"He had been admitted for two weeks at the hospital, and he died at about 10pm on Monday night. There will be a vigil on Saturday and the funeral will be on Sunday morning," he said.

The news were also confirmed by National Referees Association (NRA) secretary, Henry Mmema who said they were informed on Tuesday about the matter.

"It is true that Moses is no more and the executive committee will meet this afternoon (yesterday) over the matter. He was among the senior referees in the country and his death has robbed us," he said.

Also commenting was NRA chairman, Elphas Ngcamphalala who said the whistleman died at a time when the FA was planning to register him for FIFA.

"Swaziland has four spaces at FIFA that needed to be filled, and Moses was one of the referees earmarked for those positions. We pass our condolences to his family, colleagues at the Royal Swaziland Police and pray that God will guide them in this hour of grief," he said.

Dlamini shot to the limelight in 2004 when he handled a premier league match between Mbabane Swallows against Mhlambanyatsi Rovers at Prince of Wales Stadium. He was bailing out a situation after elite league referees had gone on strike, and the FA President, the departed Philemon Mkhaliphi brought a team of whistlemen from the Hhohho Super League.

From there his career shot up, however, not without controversies as he was heavily assaulted by Mbabane Swallows supporters at the same venue, where he made his debut in 2006, during a 1-all draw league match against Manzini Sundowns.

He did not allow that incident to deter his progress as he continued to blow the whistle with great courage. In early 2009, he was suspended by the Referees Committee for undisclosed reasons, but his colleagues stood by him until the suspension was lifted. He passes away in just about 10 months after the demise of retired whislteman and Match Commissioner, Philemon Mkhaliphi who died tragically in a car accident at Big Bend in September last year. Just last year, he was promoted from the position of Constable to a Sergeant in the police force.

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