Which clubs have been in South Africa’s second division the longest? By Mogamad Allie.
With the regular buying and selling of franchises, coupled with promotion to the Premiership and relegation to the third tier ABC Motsepe regional league, not many clubs remain for too long in the second tier Motsepe Foundation Championship.
Former PSL clubs like Jomo Cosmos and Santos, who were South African champions in 2002, spent time in the second tier before suffering the ignominy of dropping down to the amateur ranks.
Santos were relegated from the PSL in 2012, having spent five seasons in the NFD before slipping down to the third tier at the end of the 2016/17 season. They have been there ever since.
Cosmos, who were relegated from the PSL three times before, suffered their fourth and final relegation at the end of the 2015/16 season. After spending six seasons in the NFD, they were relegated to the ABC Motsepe League at the end of the 2021/22 season. In all, Cosmos spent 11 seasons in the NFD during the PSL era, which commenced in 1996.
Here is the list of the longest-serving teams in South Africa’s second division.
UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA
AmaTuks first won promotion to the second tier in 2005. After finishing 11th in their first campaign, they reached the play-offs the following season before losing in the final to AmaZulu.
The university-based side eventually won promotion to the top flight in 2012 and ended their first season in a healthy eighth place.
But they were relegated in 2016 after finishing second from bottom and then failing to win a single game in the playoffs.
AmaTuks have been in the second tier ever since, although they had a stab at winning promotion in 2022 when finishing runners-up to Richards Bay.
However, they failed in the playoffs as Swallows FC retained their spot in the DStv Premiership.
At the start of the 2023/24 season, University of Pretoria would be starting a campaign in the NFD for the 15th time, and for the eighth successive season.
BLACK LEOPARDS
The Limpopo side first started life in the NFD in the 1998/99 season when the franchise was taken over by the Thidiela family. After three seasons of campaigning in the second tier, they won promotion to the PSL in 2001.
Lidoda Duvha returned to the NFD at the end of 2007/08. After spending another three seasons in the lower league, they returned to the top flight in 2011/12.
However, they were relegated after only one season and spent the next five seasons in the second tier before returning to the PSL in 2018/19. After surviving in the playoffs in the 2019/20 season, they were relegated once again at the end of 2020/21.
Leopards have been in the NFD ever since and were even relegated to the third tier at the end of last season. They purchased the All Stars franchise in June and will return to the NFD where they will start a 14th campaign in the second tier in the 2023/24 season under new coach Alejandro Dorado.
UTHONGATHI
The Cane Cutters have been in the NFD since 2017, though they will start a new era as Milford FC after the sale of their franchise in June.
The club was formed in 2014 and won promotion to the regional ABC Motsepe League from the SAB League in their first year.
They won the regional ABC Motsepe League in the 2016/17 season and then qualified for the second tier in 2017 when they won the national playoffs in the Eastern Cape with an unbeaten record.
Last season, they finished 7th. They have been a mid-table team and their best finish so far was 5th in the 2018/19 season. The KwaZulu-Natal side will be starting their seventh successive season in the NFD, but will hope a change of ownership brings renewed fortunes.
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