FORMER Berea Ladies defender Lineo Ralitša has passed yet another stage of referees’ fitness testing in Gauteng, South Africa.

Ralitša who started blowing the whistle not so long ago has come to be one of the most popular female referees in South Africa.

She was among the top five women who passed the referees physical tests from a group of 30 other female referees who were tested on February 28.

The tests were conducted in order to prepare the referees for the new women’s football season which is expected to commence soon.

Her former coach at LMMTT Ladies Montšeng Kola-Khobotlo told Metro that the panel of referees was in fact surprised to see Ralitša passing all the laps of the tests.

“South African football Association (SAFA)’s head of referees, Abdul Ibrahim earlier explained that they wanted 40 referees who would officiate at the ABC Motsepe League (the South African Second Division League), the Sasol Women Football Provincial League and the SAFA Regional League,” she said, adding that Ralitša is also eligible to officiate at the Multi Diski Challenge.

She said Ralitša has been officiating at the Sasol Women Regional League since 2019.

“I train with her every Thursday alongside prominent South African Referee Victor Hlungwane. We are satisfied with her performance and we are proud of her achievements. She shows great interest and understanding of the art of refereeing, hence she has potential to grow further and become one of the best women referees in our leagues. I am working hard with Hlungwane to ensure that she grows big until she officiates at the Premier Soccer League (PSL),” Kola-Khobotlo also said.

When she first arrived in Gauteng two years ago, Ralitša briefly played for LMMTT Ladies before she joined Vaal University of Technology (VUT) also for a short while.

She thereafter hung up her soccer boots and ventured into a career of refereeing.