Richard Nkosi

Richard Nkosi

Mpumalanga will have two teams campaigning in the National First Division (NFD) next season.

This follows the relocation to the province of City Pillars from Polokwane in Limpopo. Amathaithai will join fellow NFD campaigners Witbank Spurs in the province.

George and Mario Morfou are co-directors of Ama-thaithai.

"City Pillars will be based in Mpumalanga next season," said Mario.

"We have not yet decided in which part of the province the team's office will be based, but we are looking at three places: Secunda, Witbank or Nelspruit."

The Morfou family bought the Pillars's status from Robson Mongwe in mid-season, reportedly for R5 million.

This was after they transferred the status of Mpumalanga Black Aces, which campaigns in the Mpumalanga Vodacom League, to Stratos Mnguni.

Aces failed to gain promotion to the NFD after succumbing in the Platinum playoffs that was held in Free State last month.

Mario said the team will also change its name from City Pillars to Mpumalanga Black Aces.

"We would have liked to keep the name City Pillars but our initial agreement with the previous owner, Robson Mongwe, was that he has another team in the lower division, so he would like to keep the name for the team.

"Because we still have shares in Mpumalanga Black Aces we opted to keep the name for the sake of Mpumalanga residents."