Lalelani Mngadi and Skhumbuzo Gasa have been selected to officiate the highly anticipated Nedbank Cup final between Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates on Saturday.

The sold-out match will take place at Mbombela Stadium (15:00). This appointment comes as no surprise, as both officials are nominated for prestigious PSL Awards in the 2023/24 season: Referee of the Season (Gasa) and Assistant of the Season (Mngadi).

Gasa, a KZN native, faces competition from Abongile Tom and Philangenkosi Khumalo for the Referee award. Mngadi, also from KZN, will vie for the Assistant award against Cledwin Baloyi and Romario Phiri. Their nominations suggest they might be strong contenders when the PSL announces the winners soon.

This match marks the culmination of a captivating PSL season, filled with heated exchanges between coaches and even on-field cramps from an official. Notably, the PSL has invited club bosses from all 16 Premier Division teams that participated in the Nedbank Cup.

PSL Acting CEO Mato Madlala will be among the dignitaries in Mbombela. She played a key role in securing Mbombela Stadium as the hosting venue.

Pirates aim to defend their Nedbank Cup title, joining SuperSport United (who ironically beat Pirates twice in the 2016 and 2017 finals) as a two-time consecutive champion. Sundowns, on the other hand, seek to extend their dominance in the competition. They have won the Nedbank Cup a record four times since the commercial bank took over sponsorship in 2008 (Pirates and SuperSport are tied with three wins each). A win for Pirates would even the score with Sundowns.

Both Sundowns and Pirates, having finished first and second in the DStv Premiership respectively, will represent South Africa in the CAF Champions League next season.