SAFA Second Division

ABC Motsepe League
Founded1998; 26 years ago (1998)
Country South Africa
ConfederationCAF
Divisions9
Number of teams144
Level on pyramid3
Promotion toNational First Division
Relegation toU21 Hollywoodbets Regional League
Domestic cup(s)Nedbank Cup
Current championsHighbury F.C.
Most championshipsRoses United
Websitewww.safa.net
Current: 2024–25 SAFA Second Division

The SAFA Second Division (known as the ABC Motsepe League for sponsorship reasons, and previously the Vodacom League between 1998 and 2012, was founded in 1998 as 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.

It features 144 teams in total, divided into 9 divisions, borders 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. Each provincial division contains 16 teams. The winner of each provincial division qualifies for the annual promotional playoffs, where the winners of two streams are promoted to the National First Division. In each province, the two lowest-ranked teams by the end of the season, are relegated to the fourth tier U21 SAB Regional League, which in return will promote two playoff winners from the Regional Championships.

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 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 March 2014, the Motsepe Foundation signed a five-year deal for the naming rights of the competition worth 40 million ZAR. Patrice Motsepe named the competition in honour of his late father, Augustine Butana Chaane Motsepe.[2] The sponsorship was renewed for five years in 2018.[3]

Provincial divisions

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

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 playoff 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.

Maladministration

In June 2023, Bush Bucks owner Sturu Pasiya accused SAFA of maladministration and of not paying grants for up to three years.[4]


Champions and promoted teams

In the seasons from 1998 to 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[5] Roses United F.C. Milano United F.C.
2012–13 Baroka Maluti FET College
2013–14 Cape Town All Stars Highlands Park
2014–15 Mbombela United Mthatha Bucks
2015–16 Magesi F.C Kings United
2016–17[6] Uthongathi Super Eagles
2017–18[7] Maccabi TS Sporting
2018–19 JDR Stars Steenberg United
2019–20[8] Bizana Pondo Chiefs Pretoria Callies
2020–21[9] Hungry Lions Platinum City Rovers
2021–22[10] MM Platinum Magesi
2022–23[11] Upington City Orbit College
2023–24[12] Highbury F.C. Kruger United

Provincial winners

Coastal Stream

Coastal Stream / Inland Stream

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

Free State

Season Winner Runner-Up
1998–99
1999–00 City Drifters
2000–01 Welkom Stars Maholosiane
2001–02 Maholosiane Roses United
2002–03 Phuthaditjhaba United Dikoena
2003–04 Kroonstad Rovers
2004–05 Motheo United Warriors
2005–06 Black Mambas
2006–07 African WARRIORS
2007–08 Carara Kicks F.C. Mafube United F.C.
2008–09 Crown City United
2009–10 Roses United Maluti FET College
2010–11 Roses United Botshabelo
2011–12 Roses United Maluti FET College
2012–13 Maluti FET College
2013–14 Motheo Thaba Nchu Bubchu United
2014–15 Kroonstad City Super Eagles
2015–16 Super Eagles Mangaung Unite
2016–17 Mangaung Unite
2017–18[63] Tshiame All Stars Bloemfontein Young Tigers
2018–19[64] Mangaung Unite
2019–20[65] Mangaung Unite Super Eagles
Season Stream A Stream B
2020–21 Mangaung Unite[66] D General FC[67]
2021–22 Dikwena United[68] Bloemfontein Celtic Development[69]
2022–23[70] Buffalo FC FC Black Cross
Season Winner Runner-Up
2023–24[71][72] Mangaung Unite D General FC

Inland Stream

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