The Betway Premiership title race is not a two-horse sprint—it is a coronation procession with Mamelodi Sundowns riding the white horse while Orlando Pirates scramble for a saddle that has been empty for fourteen years. The media, led by the usual chorus of hyperbole, wants you to believe that Jose Riveiro’s men have closed the gap, that the Soweto giants are breathing down Sundowns’ necks, that the trophy might finally escape Chloorkop. Stop it. Look at the log. Look at the data. Look at the cold, unyielding arithmetic. Sundowns have dropped points in only three matches this season, and even those were anomalies—a rare slip against a desperate Kaizer Chiefs, a stubborn SuperSport United, and a Thando Buthelezi-inspired Richards Bay who parked the bus with religious fervor. Meanwhile, Pirates have lost to Polokwane City and narrowly scraped past Cape Town Spurs. The gap is not an illusion; it is a canyon.
The narrative around Relebohile Mofokeng being thrown into Footballer of the Season contention is a perfect example of the bias that Miguel Cardoso correctly flagged. The young Pirates winger has undeniable talent—his dribbling, his bursts of acceleration, his assist against Stellenbosch—but let’s not pretend he is carrying a team when Tshegofatso Mabasa has scored 15 league goals, and Sundowns possess a depth chart that would make European clubs envious. Mofokeng is a bright spark in a squad that still relies on Deon Hotto’s experience and tap-ins. Cardoso accused the league of favoring Pirates in refereeing decisions—he was right to say it, even if he paid a fine for it. The penalty awarded against SuperSport when evidence suggested the contact was minimal. The red card to a Stellenbosch defender that was later rescinded. These are not conspiracy theories; they are patterns. The fact that Pirates remain six points adrift (with Sundowns having a game in hand) despite benefiting from borderline calls only proves that even a helping hand cannot close the chasm.
The verdict? This title race is already over. Sundowns will win the Betway Premiership by at least seven points, and the only drama left is whether they break the 70-point barrier before April. Riveiro’s project at Pirates is real—they play with a coherent press, they have Mofokeng and Evidence Makgopa creating chances—but they are not title-ready. The 14-year drought will stretch to 15. The real battle is for second place, where Pirates must hold off a resurgent Kaizer Chiefs and a stubborn SuperSport. That is the story the media should be writing. Instead, they pump oxygen into a false narrative. Sundowns are not just the favorites; they are the champions, and nothing about this season has changed that. The coronation is scheduled. All that remains is the date.