Rangers rejoice
AUGUST 5 Sundowns sign Ace Khuse from Pirates, despite a delegation from Pirates, including chairman Sipho Mali, visiting his home to try persuade him to stay.
AUGUST 10 Pirates fans riot after a 2-1 home defeat to Sundowns, protesting at the decision of referee Charles Morodi. The Bucs are now fourth from bottom.
AUGUST 17 Khuse debuts for Sundowns in their 1-1 draw with AmaZulu, a result that leaves the Usuthu in second place. Aces play their first match at the Jan van Riebeeck Stadium in the Witbank town centre, and beat Chiefs 2-1.
AUGUST 18 African Wanderers put seven ‘rebel’ players on transfer and the team fails to arrive for their home match with Rangers. The club are fined R5 000 and ordered to play all future matches away from home.
AUGUST 19 Sundowns loan Hamilton Mahlangu, Trott Moloto and Basil Steenkamp to Pirates, the club Downs director Zola Mohobe supported as a boy.
AUGUST 21 Giant defender Mike Kamanga joins Pirates from African Wanderers. Swallows elect David Chabeli as chairman to replace Abe Machele.
AUGUST 28 Aubrey ‘The Great’ Makgopela writes to the NSL seeking a clearance from the breakaway Swallows side so that he can return to the Castle League after two years of playing in the NPSL for the Birds.
AUGUST 31 A record score for South African soccer is set as AmaZulu beat Ford Pirates from PE 16-0 in the first round of the Mainstay Cup. Archie Hadebe scores five. Goalkeeper Paddy Leering scores with a late penalty.
SEPTEMBER 6 Sundowns coach Stan Tshabalala attacks a fan who had been hurling abuse at him after a 0-0 draw with Wits. SEPTEMBER 7 Basil Steenkamp scores a hat-trick on his debut for Pirates as they come from 0-2 down to beat Callies in Atteridgville.
SEPTEMBER 12 Shane MacGregor of Rangers scores twice against Cosmos to join Calvin Petersen (Bush Bucks) and Trevor Poole (Arcadia) at the top of the scoring charts on 17 goals.
SEPTEMBER 13 Joel Mnini returns to the Swallows‘ line-up after two years in the NPSL, coming on as a substitute in the 1-1 draw with Pirates in Orlando.
SEPTEMBER 15 Atteridgeville Super Stadium is closed by the NSL after Callies supporters disrupt a game between Arcadia and Durban Bush Bucks. On transfer deadline day, Swallows sign Goodman Hlongwane from Tladi Morning Stars, Sundowns buy Vincent Makroti and Joseph ‘Ace’ Phatedi, Wits sign Peter Gordon from Aces while Calvin Petersen leaves Bucks to join Eissenstadt in Austria.
SEPTEMBER 23 Sundowns have their application to play matches at Pretoria’s Loftus Versfeld turned down by the Pretoria City Council and Northern Transvaal Rugby Union.
SEPTEMBER 24 Klerksdorp City hire Walter Rautmann as coach.
SEPTEMBER 29 Zola Mahobe says Sundowns is for sale at R300 000 following increasing pressure from fans, who want coach Tshabalala out.
OCTOBER 4 Defending champions Bush Bucks move into second place, beating local rivals Durban City 1-0.
OCTOBER 7 Ernest Chirwali of Celtic returns to Europe for more trials, while Ace Ntsoelengoe returns from a season in Canada to play for Chiefs.
OCTOBER 22 Chiefs beat second-placed Bush Bucks 2-0 at Ellis Park with goals