Here are the talking points ahead of the weekend fixtures.
Pirates aim for top spot
Orlando Pirates will seek to go back to the top of the Betway Premiership when they visit inconsistent TS Galaxy on Sunday in what looks like a must-win encounter.
The Buccaneers gave up the initiative to leaders Mamelodi Sundowns this past week when they were held at home by Siwelele and have fallen two points behind in the title race, with both teams having nine games left.
Sundowns are in CAF Champions League action this weekend, so Pirates can move back in front, though they will have used up another game. They can ill afford to still be behind the Brazilians having played a game more.
You never quite know what you are going to get from Galaxy. They can beat anyone on their day, but they also slipped to a 2-1 home loss to relegation-threatened Orbit College earlier this month.
Pirates lead the head-to-head 6-3, with two draws, but have not visited Galaxy since October 2024. That was a 2-0 away win. There has never been a draw between these sides in Mpumalanga, with Galaxy leading the head-to-head on their own patch 3-2.
Chiefs look to go back-to-back
Kaizer Chiefs ended their four-game losing run when they defeated Durban City last time out and will expect to make it back-to-back wins with the visit of bottom side Magesi FC on Saturday.
Magesi are winless in their last 12 matches (D6 L6), but have managed a point in three of their last four after the arrival of veteran coach Allan Freese.
Still, they are the only club yet to win away in the league this campaign (D5 L6) and have managed just five goals in their 11 games on the road.
Chiefs have had an unwanted habit of conceding at home this season, with 11 goals shipped in 12 games, the sixth-worst record in the Betway Premiership. They have conceded only once on the road, albeit from seven games.
This is one of two home games before they embark on a seven-match away run of fixtures, such has been the strangeness of the fixture list for them this campaign.
They have two wins and a draw from their three previous games against Magesi.
Race for third
Sekhukhune United are one of four clubs pushing for third place and CAF Confederation Cup qualification this season, along with AmaZulu, Chiefs and Durban City.
They are currently in that position in the table, though only on goal difference and with Chiefs a point behind but with two games in hand. So winning is essential this weekend as they travel to Lamontville Golden Arrows.
The clash pits two of the more experienced tacticians in the league against one another as Golden Arrows’ Manqoba Mngqithi and Sekhukhune’s Eric Tinkler test their wits against each other.
Sekhukhune have the third-best away record this season behind the top two, Sundowns and Pirates, but only those two have scored more goals at home this season than Golden Arrows, who have netted 13 in 10 games.
Abafana Bes’thende are in eighth place on goals scored ahead of Galaxy, but have several clubs breathing down their necks as they look to secure MTN8 qualification for next season.
The head-to-head between the clubs has been fairly even over the years, with three wins for Arrows, four for Sekhukhune and three draws. Arrows did win 3-1 at home in the Carling Knockout earlier this season.
Chippa aim for history
Chippa United had looked to be streaking clear of the drop zone after three wins in a row following the resumption of the league after the Africa Cup of Nations break, but since then they have managed only two points from the next nine available.
They travel to a Stellenbosch FC side on Saturday that are unbeaten in seven league games (W3 D4) but have drawn their last three, including at Golden Arrows on Wednesday. Both teams have lost the knack of winning.
Chippa are only two points above the relegation play-off position, while Stellenbosch are outside the top eight on goal difference and are among that throng of teams looking to be in the MTN8 next season.
Stellenbosch are unbeaten in eight against Chippa (W4 D4) and have never lost at home to the Eastern Cape side (W3 D3).
Usuthu look to find form
AmaZulu are one of those sides pushing for third place but have a single win in their last five league games (D1 L3); otherwise, they might have been out of sight.
They travel to Polokwane City, which is never an easy road trip, though their hosts have four draws and a defeat in their last five home games, having not won in front of their own fans since September. In fact, they have drawn six of their 10 home clashes this season, the most in the division.
Usuthu did go to Polokwane and win 2-1 in the Nedbank Cup last month, so they have some recent success to fall back on, but that is their only victory in eight previous visits (D4 L3).
Polokwane won away at AmaZulu in the league in November.