The Betway Premiership will be graced by the presence of Kruger United next season after the Mpumalanga-based club secured automatic promotion to the Premier Soccer League (PSL) top-flight.
Nicknamed the “Village Boys”, Kruger United were crowned the Motsepe Foundation Championship winners with two games to spare and will ply their trade with the big boys in the Betway Premiership.
Kruger sealed the championship title with a dominant 3-0 win over the now-relegated Black Leopards at the Kanyamazane Stadium last weekend.
What makes the story of Kruger remarkable is that the club was formed in 2023, when local businessmen Bongani Wati and Basil Khoza acquired the status of Caroline FC in the ABC Motsepe League, and the rest is history.
They only required two seasons in the National First Division to leapfrog to the Premiership. In the first season in the NFD, they finished in fifth position.
This season, no one saw them coming, with the likes of Cape Town City, Nedbank Cup giant-slayers Casric Stars, and Milford FC, tipped to be favourites to win the league. However, all three clubs, including Hungry Lions, are now in contention for the two vacant Premiership promotion play–off spots with two games remaining in the league.
The Villages Boys will be entering the Premiership with some experienced players like Ntsako Makhubela, Sipho Sibiya, and Wandisile Letlabika, amongst others.
The club is coached by 40-year-old Abram Mongoya, who is regarded as one of the rising young South African coaches to look out for.
“It’s not that I am the most talented coach; I always tell my boys that I think I am the hardest-working coach, and it reflects on the technical team,” Mongoya said.
“We couldn’t have achieved what we did. We are never satisfied, and we always want to improve. But we also need to be grateful and show gratitude.”
All teams will be in action this afternoon, with Cape Town City set to host Leopards, while Milford takes on AmaTuks.
Casric will go toe-to-toe with Upington City and Hungry Lions, taking on Highbury. The champions, on the other hand, will entertain Gomora United.
- Kruger United, a Mpumalanga-based club, has secured automatic promotion to the Premier Soccer League (PSL) top-flight.
- The club will compete in the Betway Premiership in the upcoming season.
- Their promotion marks their entry into South Africa's highest football division.
- This development is a significant achievement for the Mpumalanga football scene.
- Full details of the story are available in the Sunday World e-edition.
Nicknamed the “Village Boys”, Kruger United were crowned the Motsepe
Kruger sealed the championship title with a dominant 3-0 win over the now-relegated Black Leopards at the
What makes the story of Kruger remarkable is that the club was formed in 2023, when local businessmen
“It’s not that I am the most talented coach; I always tell my boys that I think I am the hardest-working coach, and it reflects on the technical team,”
“We couldn’t have achieved what we did. We are never satisfied, and we always want to improve. But we also need to be grateful and show gratitude.”
All teams will be in action this afternoon, with Cape Town City set to host Leopards, while Milford takes on AmaTuks.
Casric will go toe-to-toe with
