Goal takes you through the scoring records in the South African top-flight division since the new era of the league began in the 1996/97 season
The Premier Soccer League top goalscorer award is known as the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot.
It was named after the former Orlando Pirates striker who died in a car accident in August 2003 just after he had scored 18 goals to top the scorers’ chart.
Since the beginning of the PSL era in 1996/97 season, there have been intriguing battles to grab the most goals in the league.
Editors’ Picks
SuperSport United’s Bradley Grobler is the current PSL Golden Boot winner after scoring 16 goals last season.
Goal takes a look at the outstanding scoring records in South Africa.
Who has the most Golden Boots?
He first claimed the gong during the 2004/05 season while he was at Kaizer Chiefs by finding the back of the net 25 times.
Those 25 goals remain the highest tally to be managed by a player in a single season.
After stints in the Premier League and Portugal, Mbesuma returned to the PSL and again top-scored at the end of the 2015/16 campaign but this time with Mpumalanga Black Aces, after netting 14 goals.
He remains the only player to have won the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot award more than once.
The PSL’s all-time top scorers
Ex-Mozambique captain Maule ‘Tico Tico’ Bucuane struck 104 times while Mbesuma is just a goal behind with 103 strikes.
The hard-to-reach 20-goal mark
Since Nomvethe scored 20 league goals for Moroka Swallows during the 2011/12 season, no other player has reached the 20-goal-mark.
Other players who surpassed that figure include inaugural PSL era Golden Boot winner Wilfred Mugeyi who scored 22 goals for Umtata Bush Bucks.
Pollen Ndlanya had 21 goals for Chiefs during the 1998/99 season before Mbesuma’s 25-goal exploits later on.
PSL attackers appear goal-shy and the league hit an all-time low during the 2013/14 season when Bernard Parker top-scored with 10 goals.
Which country rules the Lesley Manyathela award?
South Africa have produced 15 golden boot winners, followed by Zambia who have five players.
Besides Mbesuma, former Pirates star Dennis Lota, Christopher Katongo, James Chamanga and Mwape Musonda have all topped the scorers’ chart.
Zimbabwe has seen three players claiming this award through Mugeyi, Gilbert Mushangazhike and former Chiefs star Knowledge Musona.
Other interesting facts
Only three players have top-scored in a season their team went on to be crowned PSL champions.
These are Manyathela, the first time Mbesuma won the gong and Percy Tau during the 2017/18 term when Mamelodi Sundowns were crowned PSL champions.
Only Katongo and Grobler have scored 10 goals in the opening 10 league games to go on and claim this award.
In the past four seasons, all Golden Boot winners have ended the season with 16 goals.
