AmaZulu FC head coach Arthur Zwane believes football in KwaZulu-Natal is finally moving in the right direction after three clubs from the province secured places inside the Betway Premiership Top 8 this season.
AmaZulu, Golden Arrows and Durban City FC will all feature in next season’s MTN8 competition, a significant achievement for a province that has often struggled to compete consistently with Gauteng’s football powerhouses.Usuthu confirmed their fourth-place finish with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Durban City at Chatsworth Stadium on Saturday. Defender Nkosikhona Radebe scored the decisive goal with a second-half header in a tense KwaZulu-Natal derby. Despite the defeat, Durban City managed to hold onto eighth place and secure their own MTN8 qualification spot.Speaking after the match, Zwane praised the progress being made in the province and highlighted the growing pool of talent emerging from KwaZulu-Natal.
“It just shows that there’s a lot of talent and a lot of players with potential as well,” said Zwane. “It’s just a matter of how we discover these players, how we take care of them and how we help develop them as well.”
The former Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach also applauded Durban City for their impressive campaign, which included ending the province’s long wait for major silverware after lifting the Nedbank Cup earlier this season.“We are thankful that Durban City could win a trophy for the KZN province after so many years. They’re in the top eight alongside Golden Arrows and AmaZulu, it’s good to see. It shows that football is progressing in this part of the country and hopefully we can build on that next season,” said Zwane.AmaZulu’s strong finish under Zwane has strengthened belief around the club heading into next season, while Durban City’s rise and Arrows’ consistency have given KwaZulu-Natal football fresh momentum.
For the first time in years, the province heads into a new campaign with genuine optimism and three clubs ready to compete among the country’s elite.