Note that Oranje Vrijstaat (Orange Free State) and Transvaal were independent entities until the end of the Boer Wars in 1902. For most provinces no data after 1900 are available below (with the notable exception of Transvaal).
Note that provincial selections competed for the Currie Cup.
Western Province | Transvaal | Griqualand West| Border |
Natal | Oranje Vrijstaat | Eastern Province
Western Province
The Western Province FA was formed in 1891, based at Green Point Track,
later to switch headquarters to Hartleyvale Stadium and they set up
league and cup competitions, the latter known as the O'Reilly Cup.
Senior League O'Reilly Cup
1891 Royal Artilley -
1892 Royal Artillery -
1893 Royal Artillery Royal Artillery
1894 Black Watch Regiment Black Watch Regiment
1895 2nd York and Lancaster Reg. Pioneer Club Cape Town
1896 Middlesex Regiment York and Lancaster Regiment
1897 2nd King's Royal Rifles 2nd King's Royal Rifles
1898 2nd King's Royal Rifles Pioneer Club Cape Town
1899 Royal North Lancashire Reg. Docks Club Cape Town
1900 Peninsula Club Cape Town [no tournament]
Transvaal
The Transvaal FA had been formed in 1889, under the chairmanship of A M
Campbell. Their main competition was the Transvaal Challenge Cup.
Rand League
1909 not known [*1]
[*1] participants included: Old Natalians, CSAR, Maraisburg United,
Potchefstroom, Cinderella Deep, ERPM (East Rand Pro-prietary
Mines), and Krugersdorp Wanderers;
CSAR (Central South African Railways) were founded in 1900 as
IMR (Imperial Military Railways) at Johannesburg; changed name
to CSAR in 1903 and to JSAR (Johannesburg South African Railways)
in 1912; after 1947 they were called Johannesburg Ramblers.
Transvaal League
1919 Germiston Callies FC [*2]
1920-26 not known [8 teams in 1920; 12 teams in 1925]
1927 Germiston Callies FC
1928 Germiston Callies FC
1929-37 not known [*3]
1938 Germiston Callies FC
1939-45 not known
1946 Germiston Callies FC
1947 Germiston Callies FC
1948 not known
1949 Marist Brothers AFC
1950-54 not known
1955 Marist Brothers AFC [*4]
1956 Rangers FC [only 1 loss]
1957 Rangers FC [undefeated]
[*2] the 1919 league consisted of 11 clubs: Germiston Callies,
Crown Mines, ERPM, Jeppe High Old Boys, Marist Brothers,
Old Natalians, Queen's Park, Rangers, Roodepoort, JSAR,
and Wanderers.
[*3] Transvaal was split into three regional FAs in 1933:
Eastern Transvaal, Northern Transvaal and Southern Transvaal;
the Transvaal league continued with 10 clubs.
[*4] in 1955, Marist Brothers won 19 trophies, including every
league championship title in the province from Under 14 to
Transvaal League - an all-time record.
Transvaal Challenge Cup
1889 Wanderers Wasps Johannesburg
1890 Rangers FC Johannesburg
1891 Wanderers Wasps Johannesburg
1892 Rangers FC Johannesburg
1893 Rangers FC Johannesburg
1894 Old Natalians Johannesburg
1895 Old Natalians Johannesburg
1896 Rangers FC Johannesburg
1897 Old Natalians Johannesburg
1898 City FC Johannesburg
1899 City FC Johannesburg
1900 [no tournament]
1901 [no tournament]
1902 Wanderers FC
1903 Thistle
1904 Rangers FC [*5]
1905 Lancashire Fusiliers
1906 Knights Deep
1907 Cameron Highlanders
1908 Rangers FC 1-0 Marist Brothers AFC
1909 Nourse Mines
1910 2nd Hampshires
1911 Knights Deep
1912 Marist Brothers AFC bt Royal Scots Fusiliers
1913 Germiston Callies FC
1914 Old Natalians
1915 Arcadia Shepherds 3-0 Germiston Callies FC
1916 Germiston Callies FC
1917 [no tournament]
1918 [no tournament]
1919 PSAR
1920 Germistin Callies FC 6-2 Jeppe Old Boys
1921 PSAR
1922 PSAR
1923 Benoni FC
1924 PSAR
1925 PSAR
1926 JSAR
1927 Germiston Callies FC 3-2 Arcadia Shepherds
1928 Germiston Callies FC 4-2 Arcadia Shepherds
1929 Benoni FC
1930 Germiston Callies FC
1931 JSAR
1932 Germiston Callies FC 5-2 Johannesburg Callies
1933 JSAR
1934 Germiston Callies FC
1935 JSAR
1936 JSAR
1937 Pretoria Municipals 5-2 State Mines
1938 Germiston Callies FC 4-1 JSAR
1939 State Mines
1940-45 [no tournament]
1946 Rangers FC 3-0 Arcadia Shepherds
1947 Arcadia Shepherds 2-1 Johannesburg Ramblers
1948 Rangers FC
1949 Rangers FC
1950 Rangers FC
1951 Dellos
1952 Dellos
1953 Berea Park FC
1954 Rangers FC bt Marist Brothers AFC
1955 Johannesburg Ramblers
1956 Marist Brothers AFC
1957 Marist Brothers AFC bt Benoni FC
1958 Marist Brothers AFC
1959 Boksburg FC 2-1 Berea Park
1960 Balfour Park
1961 Marist Brothers AFC
1962 Johannesburg Municipals
1963 Wanderers FC
1964 Crown Mines
1965 Johannesburg Municipals
1966 Balfour Park
1967 Blyvooruitzicht
1968 Wanderers FC
1969 Crown Mines
1970 Defence
1971 Marist-Robertsham
1972 Wanderers FC
1973 Sparta
1974 Balfour Park
1975 Balfour Park
1976 Kempton Park
1977 Wanderers FC
1978 Vaal United
1979 [no tournament]
1980 Robertsham
1981 Robertsham
1982 Robertsham
1983 Robertsham
1984-86 [not known]
1987 Berea Park 1-0 Jeppe Quandon
NB: PSAR = Pretoria South African Railway; they were renamed
Berea Park FC in 1935
[*5] in the 1904 semifinals Rangers FC eliminated CSAR after a 2-2
draw in the first match, two more draws in replays, and a win
on a penalty in the third replay after two periods of extra time
Ward and Salomons Cup
1913 Germiston Callies FC 2-1 Knights Deep
1916 Germiston Callies FC 2-1 JSAR
1920 Germiston Callies FC 6-2 Jeppe Old Boys
1927 Germiston Callies FC 3-2 Arcadia Shepherds
1928 Germiston Callies FC 4-2 Arcadia Shepherds
1930 Germiston Callies FC 1-0 State Mines
1931 Germiston Callies FC 5-2 Johannesburg Callies
1933 JSAR 5-2 Germiston Callies FC [aet]
1934 Germiston Callies FC 2-0 Berea Park
1938 Germiston Callies FC 4-1 JSAR
1951 Germiston Callies FC 3-0 Arcadia Shepherds
1953 Berea Park 3-0 Germiston Callies FC
NB: missing winners not known
Griqualand West
The Griqualand West FA was formed in 1890 and by 1893 a Senior League
competition was under way.
Kimberley Senior League Challenge Cup
1893 Kenilworth Kimberley -
1894 Kenilworth Kimberley -
1895 Pirates Kimberley -
1896 United Mines Kimberley -
1897 United Mines Kimberley -
1898 United Mines Kimberley Kimberley Juniors
1899 United Mines Kimberley [no tournament]
1900 [no tournament] [no tournament]
Border
East London Senior League Frontier Challenge Shield
1894 - Queen's Park FC King Williamstown
1895 - Williamstown
1896 - Pioneers FC King Williamstown
1897 - Pioneers FC King Williamstown
1898 - Royal Berkshire Regiment
1899 Rangers FC East London Rangers FC East London
1900 Caledonians FC East London [no tournament]
Natal Province
The Natal Football Association was formed in 1882 and with it, a league
comprising four clubs, Pietermaritzburg County being joined by Natal
Wasps, Durban Alpha and Umgeni Stars. By the following year, the league
had grown to a strength of ten clubs.
Challenge Cup
1883 Natal Wasps FC Durban
1884 Natal Wasps FC Durban
1885 Natal Wasps FC Durban
1886 Natal Wasps FC Durban
1887 Victoria AC Durban
1888 Victoria AC Durban
1889 Victoria AC Durban
1890 Victoria AC Durban
1891 Victoria AC Durban
1892 Savages FC Pietermaritzburg
1893 Victoria AC Durban
1894 York and Lancaster Regiment
1895 Standard Durban
1896 Queen's Park Durban
1897 Queen's Park Durban
1898 Leicestershire Regiment
1899 Pirates Pietermaritzburg
1900 Pirates Pietermaritzburg
Oranje Vrijstaat (Orange Free State)
Bloemfontein Senior League Challenge Cup
1895 - Heilbron FC
1896 Rangers FC Bloemfontein Heilbron FC
1897 Rangers FC Bloemfontein Jagersfontein FC
1898 Railway Bloemfontein Heilbron FC
1899 Railway Bloemfontein Jagersfontein FC
1900 [no tournament] [no tournament]
Eastern Province
Port Elizabeth Senior League
1899 Caledonians East London
1900 Wanderers Port Elizabeth
The NFL was the traditional 'white' league, which folded in 1977. In the 1960s, a 'black' league, the NPSL was formed, which established a national professional league in 1970 after previous unsuccessful attempts (various regional league were organised before). Also in the 1960s, the 'coloured' and Indian communities set up the SASL, which did not last very long and was succeeded by the FPL at the end of the decade. When the NFL folded, most of its clubs joined the NPSL, though some (like Durban City) preferred joining the FPL until realising the crowds were elsewhere. In 1984, a rival NPSL split off following boardroom politics, upon which the major federation continued as NSL. The 'new' NPSL soon fizzled out, and the NSL also 'swallowed' the rival FPL in 1991. In 1996 the NSL changed into the PSL, when adopting the English August-May 'calendar'.
year NFL (whites) SASL (coloureds)
1959 Durban City
1960 Highlands Park
1961 Durban City Transvaal United
1962 Highlands Park Avalon Athletic
1963 Addington Avalon Athletic
1964 Highlands Park Black Swallows
1965 Highlands Park Moroka Swallows
1966 Highlands Park Maritzburg City
1967 Port Elizabeth City Verulam Suburbs
1968 Highlands Park
year NFL FPL (coloureds)
1969 Durban Spurs Verulam Suburbs
1970 Durban City Cape Town Spurs
year NFL NPSL (blacks) FPL
NPSL Castle League Mainstay League
1971 Hellenic Orlando Pirates Cape Town Spurs
1972 Durban City AmaZulu Glenville
1973 Cape Town City Orlando Pirates Cape Town Spurs
1974 Arcadia Shepherds Kaizer Chiefs Cape Town Spurs
1975 Highlands Park Orlando Pirates Berea
1976 Cape Town City Orlando Pirates Cape Town Spurs
Datsun League
1977 Highlands Park Kaizer Chiefs Swaraj United
year NPSL FPL
NPSL Castle League FPL Castle League
1978 Lusitano Club Durban City
Seven Seas League
1979 Kaizer Chiefs Cape Town Spurs
1980 Highlands Park Glenville
1981 Kaizer Chiefs Cape Town Spurs
1982 Durban City Glendene
1983 Durban City Lightbody's Santos
1984 Kaizer Chiefs Lightbody's Santos
year NSL NPSL FPL OK (feeder NSL)
NSL Castle League NPSL League Quindrink League
1985 Bush Bucks Swaraj United QwaQwa Stars
La Mercy Beach League
1986 Rangers Vaal Professionals Lightbody's Santos Leeds United
1987 Jomo Cosmos Vaal Professionals Lightbody's Santos Cape Town Spurs
1988 Mamelodi Sundowns Vaal Professionals Lightbody's Santos Mighty Blackpool
1989 Kaizer Chiefs Real Sweepers Battswood Umtata Bucks
1990 Mamelodi Sundowns De Beers Lightbody's Santos African Wanderers
1991 Kaizer Chiefs Oriental Spurs dissolved Cape Town Spurs
1992 Kaizer Chiefs Arcadia Shepherds Vaal Professionals
1993 Mamelodi Sundowns Real Rovers
1994 Orlando Pirates African Wanderers
1995 Cape Town Spurs Witbank All Stars
year PSL
1996/97 Manning Rangers
1997/98 Mamelodi Sundowns
1998/99 Mamelodi Sundowns
1999/00 Mamelodi Sundowns
2000/01 Orlando Pirates
2001/02 Santos (Cape Town)
2002/03 Orlando Pirates
2003/04 Kaizer Chiefs
2004/05 Kaizer Chiefs
2005/06 Mamelodi Sundowns
2006/07 Mamelodi Sundowns
2007/08 SuperSport United
2008/09 SuperSport United
2009/10 SuperSport United
2010/11 Orlando Pirates
Number of NPSL/NSL/PSL championships (40; since 1971)
10 Kaizer Chiefs
8 Mamelodi Sundowns
Orlando Pirates
3 SuperSport United
2 Durban City (also won 4 NFL championships)
1 AmaZulu
Bush Bucks
Cape Town Spurs
Highlands Park (also won 8 NFL championships)
Jomo Cosmos
Lusitano
Manning Rangers (Durban)
Rangers (Johannesburg)
Santos
Partial Sources: [iffhs], [Lit 65], [Sin 83], [Bak 96], [Bak 97], [Raa 02]
With many thanks to Mark Gleeson for additional information
Prepared and maintained by Hans Schöggl, Ian King and Mikael Jönsson for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
Authors: Hans Schöggl,
Ian King
and Mikael Jönsson
Last updated: 10 Jun 2011
(C) Copyright Hans Schöggl, Ian King, Mikael Jönsson and
RSSSF 1998/2011
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper
acknowledgement is given to the authors. All rights reserved.