South Africa Champions

Provincial Champions and Cup Winners until 1900

Note that Oranje Vrijstaat (Orange Free State) and Transvaal were independent entities until the end of the Boer Wars in 1902. 

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.

                Transvaal Challenge Cup 
1889            Wanderers Wasps Johannesburg 
1890            Rangers FC Johannesburg 
1891            Wanderers Wasps Johannesburg 
1892            Rangers FC Johannesburg 
1893            Rangers FC Johannesburg 
1894            Rangers FC Johannesburg 
1895            Old Natalians Johannesburg 
1896            Rangers FC Johannesburg 
1897            Old Natalians Johannesburg 
1898            City FC Johannesburg 
1899            City FC Johannesburg 
1900              [no tournament] 

Griqualand West Province 
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'.

National Champions

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 United       Vaal Professionals   Lightbody's Santos   Mighty Blackpool
1989    Kaizer Chiefs         Real Sweepers        Battswood            Umtata Bucks 
1990    Mamelodi United       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 United                                                 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

Number of NPSL/NSL/PSL championships (37; since 1971)

10 Kaizer Chiefs    

 8 Mamelodi Sundowns (includes Mamelodi United)

 7 Orlando Pirates 
   
 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  
   SuperSport United

About this document

Partial Sources: [iffhs], [Lit 65], [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: 28 May 2008

(C) Copyright Hans Schöggl, Ian King, Mikael Jönsson and RSSSF 1998/2008
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All rights reserved.