Who are the Motsepe Foundation Championship newbies?
FARPost takes a look at the two Motsepe Foundation championship newcomers, Kruger United and Highbury FC, their history, and where they are likely to play following their promotion on Friday.
Kruger from Mpumalanga secured their promotion after beating Thames FC from North West 1-0. In the second semi-final, Highbury FC from the Eastern Cape beat Njampela FC of KwaZulu-Natal 2-1 in a highly-contested match at Mxolisi Dicky Jacobs Stadium, Upington.
The two clubs will now meet for the ultimate R 1.25 million prize money on Sunday afternoon.
A LOOK AT THE JOURNEY OF ONE OF THE MOTSEPE FOUNDATION CHAMPIONSHIP NEWCOMERS, HIGHBURY FC
“Highbury FC was established in the 1990s in Durban. I am a KZN boy,” said the chairman of the club, Cameron Klopper.
“We started getting involved in football around the year 2000. In 2012, we bought Natal Professionals, and since then, we have been competing.”
Klopper then relocated to Port Elizabeth due to business and continued with the running of the club.
“We almost got relegated four seasons in a row. But we called coach KB [Kabelo Sibiya], and we kept our focus because the reason why we brought him in was to be promoted to the Motsepe Foundation Championship and we are here now.”
“Last season, KB and I started looking for players with the right attitude. Players who wanted to learn and with a big match temperament. We went to the playoffs in Maritzburg [to observe]. We then readjusted, and we brought in players that were able to do the hard work for us.”
Klopper has also confirmed that they will be based in Port Elizabeth for the upcoming season.
“To me, loyalty is important. The guys in Port Elizabeth, I don’t want to mention names, have really contributed. They know who has really contributed to this team, and we will be working with those guys again. Loyalty is important; that’s the key.”
10-MONTHS-OLD KRUGER UNITED REWROTE HISTORY FOR THE PEOPLE OF BUSHBUCKRIDGE
The people of Thulamahashe in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, will now have a professional team for the first time in their history. Kruger was established by local business people Basil Khoza and Bongani Wati after they purchased Caroline FC’s status 10 months ago.
“The reason we came up with the name Kruger is that our LFA has two streams. One stream is Mngwenya and Kruger, and we belong to the Kruger stream. So when we bought a team we became the Kruger,” explained co-owner Wati.
“Also, the fact that most communities in BushBuckridge, where we come from, we used to work in the Kruger National Park. So, we identify with the name Kruger. But it has nothing to do with race. It’s our heritage.”
Wati has also expressed their wish to play at the Thulamahashe Stadium, but that will depend on the facility meeting the required PSL Standards.
“Our wish is to play at the Thulamahashe Stadium. But we have artificial pitch there,” he said.
“But we are busy trying to talk to our local municipality. When we engage the MEC for Sport in the province, we will ask them if they can do something about the stadium.
“We know we are Rockies in this, but we just want to take it easy. We are still learning but if we push and realise that we can, then the sky is the limit.”
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