Johannesburg - A broom is set to sweep South African refereeing as all top-level referees in the country are to be polygraphed on corruption and match-fixing, and given a chance to come clean.

This was confirmed by SAFA chairperson of the Referees Appointment Committee, Ari Soldatos on Tuesday.

Soldatos also confirmed that two refs in the last two months have come forward confessing that they were approached by someone claiming to represent Maritzburg United and offered money to fix games in two separate Premier Soccer League games.

An investigation was made, but discontinued due to a lack of evidence.

Asked if there is a connection between the United allegations and a recent failed polygraph by referee Jonas Nhlapo, Soldatos replied: “None at all. Nhlapo was one of the refs approached for a polygraph and he failed it quite badly. We called him in and said, ‘You’re a good ref, why don’t you come clean’.

“He was reluctant initially, but eventually started talking. On the strength of what he was saying we decided to have a full-blown investigation and rather call him into an official debriefing. But 10 or 15 minutes before he was going to appear he called and said he couldn’t make it because he couldn’t find transport, so someone got to him.

“It sounded like he was going to talk and implicate his two assistants, who will both not be considered for any games now until they are willing to take a polygraph.”

Soldatos said all top-level referees and assistant refs will undergo polygraph tests in the coming weeks as SAFA - who oversee and appoint referees – attempt to stamp out bribery.

“It’s a cleansing process, a bit like the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Everyone has the opportunity, like Nhlapo was given, to come forward and purge themselves.

“In fairness, I think these things are more the exception than the rule and we’re nowhere near where we were four or five years ago.

Things have dissipated a lot. As this season nears its end we have seen a lot of pressure on refs and some mistakes made in recent games. But they do look like honest mistakes, not something motivated.”