At just 16 years of age, outspoken Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League referee, Munyaradzi Majoni’s son, Tanyaradzwa, has now joined the same trade that made his father a popular figure.
The Shungu High School student had the first taste of match officiating last weekend when he was the assistant referee in a ZIFA Division 2 match between Empress FC and Jena Mines.
“I am the first born in our family and growing up, I used to accompany dad to football matches and that was actually how I fell in love with the whistle. With the pressures that comes up with match officiating, my father did not want me to become a referee but I pressed on him and convinced him that I was going to be up to that task,” Tanyaradzwa told this publication in an exclusive interview at the Majoni residence in Redcliff.
“Because of the finances I get from match officiating, I am now able to supplement to the needs of my educational side which I try to balance up with refereeing,” said the youthful match official.
While his refereeing father and Dambudzo Primary School headmaster, Munyaradzi, was not available for a comment when our news-crew visited their residence this week, Tanyaradzwa’s mother, Mrs Jessie Majoni (nee Chatira), who is also a headmistress at a school in Kwekwe, said she was happy that her son was following his father’s footsteps.
“Whilst refereeing is something that he decided to take up, I have always been encouraging Tanya to balance up on his academic side as well since he will be writing his Ordinary Levels this year. He has a passion for football and when Manchester United is playing, he is usually glued on the television set, watching his favorite team play. These days, his team has been losing matches and he has become a butt of jokes from his younger brothers, Tanaka Einstern and Tadiwa, who both support Manchester City,” she said.
Zwnews
