Petros Mathebela has been suspended by Fifa

Football's world governing body Fifa has moved quickly to suspended the referee implicated in a match-fixing scandal in South Africa, a spokesman said on Wednesday.

Petros Mathebela, one of three Fifa accredited referees arrested in South Africa last week, has been withdrawn from the 2006 World Cup and Cup of Nations qualifier between Sudan and Libya in Khartoum on Saturday.

He will be replaced for the Group Three tie by compatriot Daniel Bennett, Fifa said.

Fifa referees Mathebela, Simon Motau and Ronnie Marhule were all arrested last week as part of the investigation codenamed 'Operation Dribble', which is looking into widespread match-fixing in the country's premier league and first division.

The trio are among 16 South African referees arrested so far in the ongoing probe.

Marhule appeared in court last week while Mathebela and Motau were given bail after their court appearances on Monday.

The Fifa suspension contrasts with the silence of the South African Football Association, which has not announced any suspension of the 22 officials arrested so far nor made any statement on the investigation.

On Monday, two more club officials and another referee were the latest to be arrested.

A total of five club officials have now been arrested, all of them from clubs in the country's first division.

The investigation was requested by the South African Football Association several months ago after consistent complaints from clubs over refereeing performances and media outrage at dubious decisions.