Maqokolo dominates as AmaZulu forward lands four club awards and new car

Athini Maqokolo has completed a clean sweep at AmaZulu’s end-of-season awards, taking home four prizes and a new car after a standout 2025-26 campaign.

The 23-year-old forward, signed from JDR Stars at the start of last season, was named the club’s outstanding performer for the campaign during a gala event at the Premier Hotel Umhlanga on Friday, 24 July 2026.

As the evening’s main individual winner, Maqokolo also received a major off-field reward, driving away in a latest-model Mitsubishi Outlander supplied by Mitsubishi Motors South Africa.

Maqokolo, who has emerged as one of AmaZulu’s most influential attacking players, registered six goals and four assists in 31 appearances in all competitions. His form helped Usuthu secure a fourth-place finish in the Betway Premiership.

Zungu hails ‘discipline’ behind top-four finish

Club President Sandile Zungu used the ceremony to underline his satisfaction with AmaZulu’s league campaign and to praise the squad’s response to setbacks.

“Our fourth position in the Betway Premiership was no accident. It was the reward for discipline, sacrifice, resilience and an unwavering commitment to our shared vision,” said Zungu.

“There were moments of adversity, injuries to key personnel and difficult fixtures that tested our resolve, yet this group continued to rise to every challenge,” he added.

Zungu highlighted AmaZulu’s impressive record in provincial clashes, insisting their performances in KwaZulu-Natal derbies underlined the team’s growing stature.

“Across six KwaZulu-Natal derbies, we collected four victories, one draw and just one defeat13 points from a possible 18,” he said. “We proudly retained our status as Izingqwele Zase KZN, a title that carries immense significance for this football club and its supporters.”

Consistency set as new benchmark

The AmaZulu president also pointed to the club’s numbers over the season as evidence that the team has laid a platform for further improvement.

“Statistics often tell an interesting story. Had we maintained that level of consistency throughout the entire campaign, we would have finished on approximately 65 league points. That is no longer merely an observationit is now our benchmark,” Zungu said.

Looking ahead to the new campaign, Zungu made clear that the club’s targets have been raised on the back of their top-four finish.

“As we look ahead to the 2026/27 season, our ambitions remain clear. We want AmaZulu Football Club to make Top Four finishes the standard rather than the exception and challenge for every competition on offer.”

Full list of winners

Club officials confirmed the complete list of award recipients on the night, with Maqokolo the dominant figure after collecting four separate honours.

The ceremony brought the curtain down on a season in which AmaZulu combined a strong league showing with a renewed emphasis on performance standards, with Zungu stressing that the expectations created by their 2025-26 campaign will carry into 2026-27.