Ashley Du Preez returns to Stellenbosch FC in iconic number 10 shirt

Ashley Du Preez has completed a permanent return to Stellenbosch FC and will wear the club’s iconic No. 10 shirt during the 2026-27 season.

The 29-year-old forward has signed a long-term contract with the Betway Premiership club after being included in the deal that took Langelihle Phili to Kaizer Chiefs. Given Msimango and a cash payment were also part of the package.

Du Preez spent four years at Kaizer Chiefs after moving to Naturena ahead of the 2022-23 season, but his final campaign was a difficult one. He made only 12 appearances and failed to score as he struggled to establish consistency.

His return to Stellenbosch represents a homecoming for a player who began his professional career with the club a decade ago. The Idas Valley-born forward first made his mark with the Maroons and has now been given the opportunity to begin a new chapter at the club where his senior career started.

“I always knew that I would come back to Stellenbosch,” Du Preez said. “It’s great to be back where I grew up and at the Club where it all started for me. The community knows me well and has supported me since the start of my professional career, so being a local player and representing the Club again is a huge honour and privilege for me.”

The significance of the move extends beyond Du Preez’s return to familiar surroundings. This month marks 10 years since he appeared in Stellenbosch’s first-ever National First Division match, coming on as a substitute against Mthatha Bucks.

He went on to make 98 appearances for the club over six years before leaving for Kaizer Chiefs.

Stellenbosch chief executive Rob Benadie said Du Preez had repeatedly demonstrated his ability in the Betway Premiership and backed him to make a significant contribution.

Benadie described him as an exceptional footballer who had consistently shown his quality, adding that Stellenbosch believed he would bring “enormous value” both on and off the field.

Du Preez’s return follows a similar path to that taken by Iqraam Rayners. Rayners rejoined Stellenbosch after a difficult spell at SuperSport United, rebuilt his reputation through a run of consistent performances and subsequently secured a move to Mamelodi Sundowns.

The forward will hope to produce a comparable revival in the Maroons’ colours after his challenging spell at Kaizer Chiefs.

He could make his second Stellenbosch debut on 11 August, when the club face Polokwane City in the Betway Premiership.