FA chief Molefi Oliphant ordered the probe into alleged match-fixing

South Africa must hold a quick and transparent probe into allegations of match-fixing in football, the country's Premier Soccer League (PSL) chief has said.

Earlier this week, police said they were planning to arrest a number of senior football officials and referees after an investigation into match-fixing.

"I think (the investigation) has positive aspects," PSL chief executive Trevor Phillips said on Tuesday.

"Talk and rumour about this has been going on for decades."

"I certainly hope this is transparent, quick and effective."

Talk and rumour about this has been going on for decades PSL chief Trevor Phillips

"If it has been going on, then everyone who has gone to a game has been cheated."

News of the latest scandal broke on Sunday, just weeks after South Africa won the right to stage the 2010 World Cup.

Newspapers reported that club officials and players in the first division and the elite PSL have been implicated, but so far police have made no arrests.

SA cracks down on 'cheating'

Phillips, a Briton who was asked to return to the PSL late in 2002 to turn the loss-making league around, said the scandal was threatening to undo a lot of hard work.

"We have worked really hard on the branding," he said.

"To have that brand damaged by these kinds of allegations is very hard."

Phillips said he had helped the PSL turn a loss of US$5.32 million into an annual profit of about US$4.4 million.

He also said that local newspaper comments claiming that low referee salaries were contributing to cheating were unfair.