SAFA Second Division

ABC Motsepe League
Founded 1998
Country  South Africa
Confederation South African Football Association
Divisions 9
Number of teams 144
Promotion to National First Division
Relegation to U21 SAB Regional League
Domestic cup(s) Nedbank Cup
Most championships Roses United
Website Official Site
2015–16 SAFA Second Division

The SAFA Second Division, currently known as ABC Motsepe League for sponsorship reasons, and previously known as the Vodacom League between 1998-2012, was founded in 1998 as the current Second Division and the overall third tier of South African football. The competition is regulated by SAFA, and until 2012 had been sponsored by mobile telecommunications company Vodacom.

Currently it features 144 teams in total, divided into 9 divisions, borderly decided by the 9 geo-political provinces of South Africa: Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu Natal, Northern Cape, Western Cape, Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West. This means, that each Provincial division contains 16 teams as standard. The winner of each Provincial division qualifies for the annual Promotional Play-offs, where the winners of two streams, will get promoted to the National First Division. In each Province, the two lowest ranked teams by the end of the season, will be relegated to U21 SAB Regional League, which in return will promote two play-off winners from the Regional Championships.

An important rule to note, is that all clubs in South Africa also are allowed to compete with youth teams (U19/U21) and/or a Reserve team in a lower SAFA league. If a club opt to field such teams, the U19 teams will start out at the fifth level in the U19 National League, while U21 teams or Reserve teams will start out at the fourth level in the U21 SAB Regional League. If any U19 team win promotion for U21 SAB Regional League or SAFA Second Division, this promotion is fully accepted. No club are however entitled to field two teams at the same level, and rule 4.6.4 of the SAFA regulations states, that if the mother club play in the National First Division or Premier Soccer League, then the highest level these additional Youth/Reserve teams are allowed to compete, will be the SAFA Second Division. In such cases, where a non-promotable team manage to win their regional division, the ticket for the promotional playoffs will instead be handed over to the second best team in the division.[1]

In the 2010–11 season these promotional restrictions mean, that: Ajax Cape Town U19, Bay Academy, Bid Boys, Celtic Colts, SuperSport T.H. Academy and Mitchells Plain United, were all accepted to play in the league, but without any possibility of further promotion.

In March 2014, the Motsepe Foundation signed a five-year deal for the naming rights of the competition worth 40,000,000 ZAR. Patrice Motsepe named the competition in honour of his late father, Augustine Butana Chaane Motsepe.[2]

Provincial divisions

The 9 geographical provinces of South Africa, each have a local division in the SAFA Second Division. These divisions belong either to the Inland Stream or Coastal Stream, which are used to place the provincial winners into two round robin groups, at the promotional play-off stage by the end of the season. The Coastal Stream comprises: Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape, Western Cape; while the Inland Stream comprises: Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North-West. In previous years, until August 2008, the Free State province belonged to the Inland Stream.

Map of the two streams in the SAFA Second Division.
  Inland Stream
  Coastal Stream

Provincial winners

Coastal Stream

Eastern Cape

Season Winner Runner-Up
1998–99
1999–00 Blackburn Rovers
2000–01 PE Technikon PE Tigers
2001–02 Blackburn Rovers PE Tigers
2002–03 UPE-FCK Blackburn Rovers
2003–04
2004–05
2005–06
2006–07 Lion City
2007–08 Bush Bucks F.C. Matat Professionals F.C.
2008–09 Blackburn Rovers
2009–10 Blackburn Rovers Tornado
2010–11 Buffalo Tornado
2011–12 Tornado F.C.
2012–13
2013–14
2014–15
2015–16 Tornado Lion City FC

Kwazulu Natal

Season Winner Runner-Up
1998–99
1999–00
2000–01 Nathi Stars Leeds United
2001–02 Moja United Greenpoint Vultures
2002–03 Nathi Stars Italian Juventus
2003–04
2004–05
2005–06
2006–07 Abaqulusi
2007–08 Island Rangers
2008–09 Newcastle Sicilians
2009–10 Island African Wanderers
2010–11 Durban Stars Sobantu Shooting Stars
2011–12 Maritzburg City F.C.
2012–13
2013–14
2014–15 Maluti FET College
2015–16 Kings United FC Uthongathi FC

Northern Cape

Season Winner Runner-Up
1998–99
1999–00 Glenville
2000–01 William Prescod Louisvale Pirates
2001–02 Young Pirates Louisvale Pirates
2002–03 Dalton Brothers Olympics
2003–04
2004–05
2005–06
2006–07 Kakamas Cosmos
2007–08 William Pescod F.C. Louisvale Pirates F.C.
2008–09 Real Madrid
2009–10 Kakamas Sundowns Wings United
2010–11 Real Madrid Steach United
2011–12 Morester Jeug
2012–13
2013–14
2014–15
2015–16 Morester Jeug Colville United

Western Cape

Season Winner Runner-Up
1998–99
1999–00
2000–01 Vasco da Gama Juventus
2001–02 Juventus Rygersdal Aces
2002–03 Vasco da Gama Clyde Pinelands
2003–04
2004–05
2005–06
2006–07 Hanover Park
2007–08 Soweto Panthers F.C.
2008–09 Steenberg United
2009–10 Mitchells Plain United Milano United F.C.
2010–11 Chippa United Milano United F.C.
2011–12 Milano United F.C.
2012-13 Cape Town All Stars
2013-14 Cape Town All Stars
2014-15 Glendene United
2015–16 Steenberg United FC Glendene United FC

Coastal Stream / Inland Stream

Free State belonged to the Inland Stream in 1998-2008,
but was transferred to the Coastal Stream for subsequent seasons.

Free State

Season Winner Runner-Up
1998–99
1999–00
2000–01 Welkom Stars Maholosiane
2001–02 Maholosiane Roses United
2002–03 Roses United Dikoena
2003–04
2004–05
2005–06
2006–07 African Warriors
2007–08 Carara Kicks F.C. Mafube United F.C.
2008–09 United
2009–10 Roses United Maluti Fet College
2010–11 Roses United Botshabelo
2011–12 Roses United
2012-13 Maluti FET College
2013–14 Sibanye Golden Stars
2014–15 Roses United
2015–16 Manco Milano

Inland Stream

Gauteng

Season Winner Runner-Up
1998–99
1999–00
2000–01 Mamelodi Juventus Mandel Kings
2001–02 Ennerdale Arcadia BK Callies
2002–03 Arcadia Shepherds Luso Africa
2003–04
2004–05 P.J Stars
2005–06 Yebo Yes United
2006–07 Yebo Yes United
2007–08 M Tigers
2008–09 Lusitano
2009–10 FC AK M Tigers
2010–11 Highlands Park Blackpool
2011–12 The Vardos F.C.
2012–13 The Vardos FC
2013–14 Highlands Park
2014–15 African All Stars
2015–16 JDR Stars FC

Limpopo

Season Winner Runner-Up
1998–99
1999–00
2000–01 Sisterpark Winnerspark
2001–02 Winnerspark Gesane Arsenal
2002–03 Winnerspark Gesane Arsenal
2003–04
2004–05
2005–06
2006–07 Mokopane
2007–08 Classic F.C. The Dolphins F.C.
2008–09 Peace Lovers
2009–10 Peace Lovers Limpopom United
2010–11 Baroka F.C. Winners Park
2011–12 Baroka F.C.
2012–13 Baroka F.C.
2013–14 Magezi F.C.
2014-15 Magezi F.C
2015–16 Magezi FC The Dolphins

Mpumalanga

Season Winner Runner-Up
1998–99
1999–00
2000–01 Green Nation Ferrometals
2001–02 People's Bank Spurs Sporting
2002–03 Sporting Home Defenders
2003–04
2004–05 Witbank Spurs
2005–06
2006–07 MP Black Aces
2007–08 Barberton City Stars F.C. Batau Killers F.C.
2008–09 Batau
2009–10 Mologadi Barberton City Stars
2010–11 Sivutsa Stars Mighty Mega Force
2011–12 Batau F.C.
2012–13
2013–14
2014–15
2015–16 Appolo XI FC Acornbush United FC

North west

Season Winner Runner-Up
1998–99
1999–00
2000–01 Mafikeng City Western Aces
2001–02 Leicester City Western Aces
2002–03 Kanana Stars Anderlecht
2003–04
2004–05
2005–06 Ga-Rankuwa United
2006–07 Madibogopan Blizzards
2007–08 City of Matlosane F.C. Mothupi Birds F.C.
2008–09 RNB 54
2009–10 Ga-Rankuwa United City of Matlosana United
2010–11 Ga-Rankuwa United North West Shining Stars
2011–12 Soshanguve Sunshine
2012–13
2013–14 North West Shining Stars
2014–15 North West Shining Stars
2015–16 Orbit College FC

In the seasons from 1998–2003, the four best teams from the Vodacom League -determined by annual playoffs among the winners and runners-up of the 9 provinces in South Africa- won promotion for the National First Division. The playoff system divided the teams into an Inland stream and Coastal Stream, where the best two teams from each stream won promotion.

In the seasons after 2003, the number of annually promoted teams decreased to 2. The concept of the playoff system however remained the same, in regards of dividing the teams into a Coastal Stream and Inland Stream, but now of course only to reward the winner of both streams with promotion. Both promoted teams will then finally also meet to play the overall final, where the overall league championship trophy is at stake.

The list below show all the promoted teams, since 1998.

Promoted Teams
Season Inland Stream Coastal Stream
1998–99 Arcadia Shepherds
Mapate Silver Stars
Premier United
Blackburn Rovers
1999–00 Ledwaba Power Stars
Alexandra United
Maritzburg City
Basotho Tigers
2000–01 Welkom Stars
Mamelodi Juventus
William Prescod
PE Technikon
2001–02 Maholosiane
Peoples Bank Spurs
Moja United
Juventus (Western Cape)
2002–03 Winners Park
FC Sporting
Vasco da Gama
Blackburn Rovers
Promoted Teams
Season Winner Runner-up
2003–04 Pretoria University Louisvale Pirates
2004–05 Witbank Spurs PJ Stars Kings
2005–06 OR Tambo DC Garankuwa United
2006–07 African Warriors Hanover Park
2007–08 Vasco da Gama Carara Kicks
2008–09 United Batau
2009–10 FC AK Blackburn Rovers
2010–11 Chippa United Sivutsa Stars
2011–12 Roses United F.C. Milano United F.C.
2012–13 Baroka FC Maluti FET College
2013–14 Cape Town All Stars Highlands Park
2014–15 Mbombela United Mthatha Bucks
2015–16 Kings United Magezi F.C

Previous logos

References

  1. SAFA. "Rules and Regulations" (PDF). Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  2. "Motsepe Foundation sponsor Second Division". SuperSport. 3 March 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.