Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams is set to join an elite club on Saturday when he marks his 500th start in professional club football, when Mamelodi Sundowns host Orlando Pirates in the second leg of their MTN8 semifinal in Atteridgeville.
He is already fourth on the all-time list of players' appearances in South African football and already holds the record for the most games by a goalkeeper in domestic football.
The 33-year-old Williams brought up his 499th start as he kept a clean sheet on Wednesday as Sundowns beat Magesi 2-0 away in the Betway Premiership.
He had just turned 19 when he made his debut at SuperSport United in African Champions League action and is now in his 16th season, the first 12 spent at the now-defunct SuperSport United.
Williams' last season passed the mark for the most games for a goalkeeper, previously set by Moeneeb Josephs, but is a considerable way off the record for the most number of league and cup appearances in this country’s professional football history, held by Edries Burton.
The defender, who won two Bafana Bafana caps five years apart, finished his career aged 38 with 592 league and cup starts for Santos, Cape Town Spurs and AmaZulu in a professional career spanning 17 seasons.
This does not include appearances as a substitute, which is the case for the entire top 10 list below.
Second is ex-Bafana Bafana skipper Neil Tovey, who finished his career with 519 league and cup starts in the pre-Premier Soccer League era.
Three seasons ago, Vuyo Mere became the third player to go past 500 league and cup starts. He holds the record for playing in the most seasons, finishing off in the 2024/24 campaign at TS Galaxy for a total of 23 seasons.
TOP APPEARANCES
(League and cup starts only, substitute appearances do not count)
1. EDRIES BURTON (Santos, AmaZulu, Cape Town Spurs) – 592
2. NEIL TOVEY (Durban City, AmaZulu, Kaizer Chiefs) – 519
3. VUYO MERE (Hellenic, Mamelodi Sundowns, Moroka Swallows, Platinum Stars, Bidvest Wits, Swallows, TS Galaxy) – 506
4. RONWEN WILLIAMS (SuperSport United, Mamelodi Sundowns) - 499
5. MOENEEB JOSEPHS (Cape Town Spurs, Ajax Cape Town, Wits University, Orlando Pirates, AmaZulu) - 489
6. BRIAN BALOYI (Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns) – 467
7. HLOMPHO KEKANA (Black Leopards, SuperSport United, Bloemfontein Celtic, Mamelodi Sundowns) – 449
8. MARK ANDERSON (Pretoria Callies, Mamelodi Sundowns, Umtata Bush Bucks, Hellenic) - 446
9. ANDRE ARENDSE (Cape Town Spurs, Santos, Mamelodi Sundowns, SuperSport United, Bidvest Wits) - 431
10. DANIEL MUDAU (Ratanang Mahlosiane, Mamelodi Sundowns) – 428