Ezemvelo crowned 2024 Sasol League national champions

It was the first appearance for the KwaZulu Natal side in the competition and they also become the first team ever from the province to claim victory in the tournament. Ezemvelo pocketed the 200-thousand-rand winners’ cheque while UCT walked away with half of that.

By reaching the final, both teams had already secured promotion to the Hollywoodbets Super League for the next season. Here is Ezemvelo coach Nkosingiphile Maphumulo.

"Not an easy one, we have that in mind. If we push them to the limit they will collapse because, from their first game, they gave it all. If you remember our first game with them and their second game, they always gave it their all,” Maphumulo said.

“So, it was likely for them to collapse on game number 4. I think the fixtures did it right for us because we played the first day, second day and then third day we rested, that rest played a huge role for us. It's something huge but without a support system, when I'm talking support system I'm talking about coach Bongani Cele, coach Simangele Zikhali, they played a big role in this success. You can look at me as a coach and think this guy is good, no without them I wouldn't have done this."

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Maphumulo is under no illusion that things will be tough in the Hollywoodbets Super League and he admits his first assignment is to go into the market to beef up the team.

"I might be happy with the squad that I have but we have to beef up because you need more depth on the squad because sometimes someone is working, someone is studying, someone might have a commitment at home so you have to beef up,” he added.

“The travel at Hollywoodbets League takes a lot of energy, imagine from Durban to DR, imagine from Durban to Giyani, that's too much but we'll see this one together. We have to get there prepared, that's the only option we have, we can't run away from it."

Individual winners:

Referee of the Tournament:

• Hloniphile Msezane

Assistant Referee

• Nolitha Mhlomi

Goalkeeper of the Tournament

• Kaydee Windvogel (UCT)

Top Goal scorer of the tournament:

• Matshwantsho Dlamini – Kovsies FC

Player of the Tournament:

Zamandosi Nene (Ezemvelo WFC)

Most promising player of the Tournament:

• Mavis Maiacane (Super Strikers – Mpumalanga)