Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Humphrey Mlwane has revealed the secret behind The Bees FC’s qualification for the ABC Motsepe League National Playoffs.
Mlwane serves as the head coach of the ambitious Mpumalanga club, which also participated in the 2025 Nedbank Cup, where they were eliminated by Polokwane City FC in the tournament’s Round of 32 with a 1-0 scoreline.
The Bees were declared the Mpumalanga ABC Motsepe League champions after winning a case lodged by Tiger Boys, who claimed that Mlwane’s team used a player who was supposed to be suspended due to a red card he received in a league game.
The team concluded the 2024/25 season at the top of the standings with 73 points, just three points ahead of the second-placed Middelburg United.
As a result, The Bees will represent Mpumalanga at the upcoming national playoffs set to be held later this month in Gauteng.
THE REASON BEHIND THE BEES FC’S SUCCESS UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF HUMPHREY MLWANE
The former Amakhosi star acknowledged that he was allowed to do his job as a coach without any interference from the club’s hierarchy.
He went on to state that he had enough time to build his team as he arrived early at the club and had a very productive pre-season with the team.
“Well, I believe this time it was my turn to ensure that the team qualifies for the national playoffs. What helped a lot is that I joined the team early before the start of the season, so we had enough time to prepare,” Mlwane told FARPost.
“Another thing is that there was no interference from the bosses in terms of ‘play this player’ and ‘don’t play this one.” Those factors helped me a lot. Most of the time, you find that you go to a team where you start pre-season well, but when the season starts, there’s a lot of interference from the management…”
He added: “We did our things simply, knowing what is required for us to win the league. The style of play that we introduced and the quality of players we have played have an important role. The understanding of the people I’m working with also came in handy.
“I also have a guy who has been working with me since 2013 from the DRC; he’s a conditioning coach. He’s the one who has been training the boys, and I just come in with the tactics. Most of the time, he’s the one who takes care of the team. I really appreciate his efforts in making sure that the team stays fit and performs well.”
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