BUTTERWORTH-BORN and bred and former Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper, Ludwe Mpakumpaku (28), has once again put the Mnquma area on the map, after he and his side from GladAfrica Championship Division, Richards Bay FC, were promoted over the weekend to the DStv Premiership.
KwaZulu-Natal team, Richards Bay FC, were promoted to the DStv Premiership after they finished the season sitting on top of the GladAfrica Championship League table by 54 points, ahead of Pretoria University with 52 points.
Mpakumpaku is among the players who played a significant role in ensuring that Richards Bay FC were promoted at the end of the season.
In 2019, Mpakumpaku and Nkululeko ‘Nkush’ Malgas, who was also born and bred in Butterworth, made history when they won the Nedbank Cup, after TS Galaxy defeated Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
At the time, TS Galaxy was campaigning in the GladAfrica Championship Division and Mpakumpaku was the captain of the team, while Malgas was the video analyst.
Since winning the competition, they had an opportunity to represent South Africa in the CAF Confederation Cup, where they failed to reach the knockout stages.
During the following season, Mpakumpaku joined Richards Bay FC after TS Galaxy did not offer him an improved contract and this was where he used his experience, which contributed to the team’s promotion.
Next season he is expected to represent Butterworth in DStv the Premiership, when he will continue playing for the newly promoted Richards Bay FC.
