Rulani Mokwena has already won a pair of DStv Premiership titles at Mamelodi Sundowns as co-coach with Manqoba Mngqithi, but success on his own this season adds his name to the list of championship winning coaches in South African professional football.
Sundowns were crowned 2022/23 champions on Saturday after their last challengers SuperSport United failed to win at Chippa United, leaving the Brazilians with an unassailable lead at the top of the standings.
It is Mokwena’s third title, which puts him up with alongside many of the coaching greats in the country’s footballing history.
Mokwena’s former mentor Pitso Mosimane is the coach with the most league titles, winning his fifth with Sundowns before he left for Egyptian giants Al Ahly in 2020.
That year saw Mosimane go past Jeff Butler, Ted Dumitru, Gavin Hunt and Gordon Igesund, who had all won four league titles.
LEAGUE
1971 – Nick Koapeng (Orlando Pirates)
1972 – Chris Ngcobo (Zulu Royals)
1973 – Tony Sanderson (Orlando Pirates)
1974 – Kaizer Motaung then Elkiam Khumalo then Eddie Lewis (Kaizer Chiefs)
1975 – Alex Forbes (Orlando Pirates)
1976 – Alex Forbes (Orlando Pirates)
1977 – Kaizer Motaung (Kaizer Chiefs)
1978 – Joe Frickleton then Budgie Byrne (Lusitano)
1979 – Mario Tuani (Kaizer Chiefs)
1980 – Joe Frickleton (Highlands Park)
1981 – Chris Ngcobo then Elkiam Khumalo (Kaizer Chiefs)
1982 – Butch Webster & Clive Barker (Durban City)
1983 – Butch Webster & Clive Barker (Durban City)
1984 – Joe Frickleton (Kaizer Chiefs)
1985 – Clive Barker (Bush Bucks)
1986 – Des Backos/Alex Forbes (Rangers)
1987 – Roy Matthews (Jomo Cosmos)
1988 – Stanley Tshabalala then Mario Tuani (Mamelodi Sundowns)
1989 – Jeff Butler (Kaizer Chiefs)
1990 – Stanley Tshabalala (Mamelodi Sundowns)
1991 – Jeff Butler (Kaizer Chiefs)
1992 – Jeff Butler (Kaizer Chiefs)
1993 – Jeff Butler (Mamelodi Sundowns)
1994 – Mike Makaab (Orlando Pirates)
1995 – Mich d’Avray (Cape Town Spurs)
1996/97 – Gordon Igesund (Manning Rangers)
1997/98 - Ted Dumitru (Mamelodi Sundowns)
1998/99 - Ted Dumitru (Mamelodi Sundowns)
1999/2000 – Paul Dolezar (Mamelodi Sundowns)
2000/01 – Gordon Igesund (Orlando Pirates)
2001/02 - Gordon Igesund (Santos)
2002/03 – Roy Barreto (Orlando Pirates)
2003/04 – Ted Dumitru (Kaizer Chiefs)
2004/05 – Ted Dumitru (Kaizer Chiefs)
2005/06 – Miguel Gamondi/Neil Tovey (Mamelodi Sundowns)
2006/07 – Gordon Igesund (Mamelodi Sundowns)
2007/08 – Gavin Hunt (SuperSport United)
2008/09 - Gavin Hunt (SuperSport United)
2009/10 - Gavin Hunt (SuperSport United)
2010/11 – Ruud Krol (Orlando Pirates)
2011/12 – Julio Cesar Leal then Augusto Palacios (Orlando Pirates)
2012/13 – Stuart Baxter (Kaizer Chiefs)
2013/14 – Pitso Mosimane (Mamelodi Sundowns)
2014/15 - Stuart Baxter (Kaizer Chiefs)
2015/16 - Pitso Mosimane (Mamelodi Sundowns)
2016/17 – Gavin Hunt (Bidvest Wits)
2017/18 - Pitso Mosimane (Mamelodi Sundowns)
2018/19 - Pitso Mosimane (Mamelodi Sundowns)
2019/20 - Pitso Mosimane (Mamelodi Sundowns)
2020/21 – Manqoba Mngqithi/Rulani Mokwena (Mamelodi Sundowns)
2021/22 – Manqoba Mngqithi/Rulani Mokwena (Mamelodi Sundowns)
2022/23 – Rulani Mokwena (Mamelodi Sundowns)