Thanda Royal Zulu was a South African

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

club based in

Richards Bay Richards Bay ( af, Richardsbaai) is a town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is situated on a 30 square kilometre lagoon of the Mhlatuze River, which makes it one of the country's largest harbours. Richards Bay also has the deepest natural ha ...

KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN and known as "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu) and Natal Province were merged. It is locate ...

History

The club started after a Swedish consortium that included Sven-Goran Eriksson bought the franchise from Benoni Premier United at the end of the 2006–07 season. The new owners moved the franchise from Benoni to

. They played their home games at

Richards Bay Stadium Richards Bay Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is part of the uMhlathuze Sports Complex and used mostly for football (soccer), football matches, and is currently the home venue for South African Premi ...

having previously played their home games at the Hammarsdale Stadium in

Hammarsdale Mpumalanga, also widely known as Hammarsdale, is a town in eThekwini in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. It is a township about 10 km south-south-east of Cato Ridge and some 50 km west of Durban Durban ( ) ( zu, eThek ...

. In 2010 the club moved its headquarters from

Durban Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...

to Richards Bay. The club's nickname ''Amabhubesi'' was Zulu for ''Lions'' while ''Thanda'' means ''love''. The club won the

2016–17 National First Division The 2016–17 National First Division was the season from August 2016 to May 2017 of South Africa's second tier of professional soccer, the National First Division The National First Division (NFD), officially known as the Motsepe Foundatio ...

. However, their franchise, and promotion to the 2017–18 Premier Soccer League was sold to fifth-placed

Amazulu Zulu people (; zu, amaZulu) are a Nguni ethnic group native to Southern Africa. The Zulu people are the largest ethnic group and nation in South Africa, with an estimated 10–12 million people, living mainly in the province of KwaZulu-Nata ...

Club records

Premier Soccer League record

* 2008–09 – 15th (relegated) * 2007–08 – 14th

Shirt sponsor & kit manufacturer

*Shirt sponsor: Bell Equipment *Kit manufacturer:

Joma Joma () is a Spanish sports clothing manufacturer that currently produces footwear and clothing for football, futsal, handball, basketball, volleyball, running, tennis, and padel. Its headquarters are located in Portillo de Toledo, Spain. Histor ...

Franchise History

External links

Premier Soccer LeagueNFD Club Info
{{Premier Soccer League Premier Soccer League clubs National First Division clubs Defunct soccer clubs in South Africa Association football clubs established in 2007 Association football clubs disestablished in 2017 2007 establishments in South Africa 2017 disestablishments in South Africa