Who has scored the most hat-tricks in the Premier Soccer League? By Nick Said.
Andy Boyeli’s hat-trick for Sekhukhune United in their 3–0 victory over SuperSport United in the Betway Premiership earlier this season made him the 127th player to net a treble, or more, in the Premier Soccer League era.
As of the start of March, there had been four hat-tricks in all competitions in the 2024/25 season, one from Boyeli, one from Sandile Mthethwa (AmaZulu) and two by Tshegofatso Mabasa.
The latter netted in an 8–1 demolition of Marumo Gallants in the league and then a 3–1 victory over Baroka FC in the Nedbank Cup.
It is a bit of a slow-down from the 2023/24 season when there were seven hat-tricks in all competitions, the most since the 2015/16 campaign (8), but there are still plenty of matches to come, including the Nedbank Cup, which often supplies a treble or two.
Any player would be hard-pressed to surpass Iqraam Rayners’ five goals for Stellenbosch against Polokwane City last season, which is tied for the most in the PSL era alongside James Chamanga’s five for Moroka Swallows.
In total, there have been 185 hat-tricks netted since the start of the 1996/97 season, with at least one in every season bar the 2017/18 campaign, where there were none.
In the 1998/99 season, a record 15 hat-tricks were scored in a single campaign. Pollen Ndlanya, with a total of six, leads the individual total number of hat-tricks.
Four of them were scored for Chiefs and one each during his brief tenures at AmaZulu and Pirates.
The fastest hat-trick in South African football remains the five minutes it took Chamanga to score from the 20th minute to the 25th minute for Swallows against Platinum Stars in December 2007.
He went onto add two more late in the game for a five-goal haul.
Bhongolwethu Jayiya, then at Cape Town City, took 10 minutes to score a trio of goals from the sixth to the 16th minute in a 4–1 thumping of Chippa United at the Athlone Stadium in April 2017.
In March 2012, a single game saw three hat-tricks and the only two double hat-tricks in PSL history, as Sundowns set records with a 24–0 demolition of the hapless Kimberley amateurs, Powerlines, in the Nedbank Cup.
Hlompho Kekana (seven goals), Nyasha Mushekwi (six) and the late Richard Henyekane (five) delivered a steady stream on a day of goal scoring excess.
The current players with the most hat-tricks are Sundowns forward Peter Shalulile and Mabasa with three each.
HAT-TRICKS IN THE PSL ERA (ALL COMPETITIONS)
6 – Pollen Ndlanya.
5 – Richard Henyekane, Tico-Tico
4 – Keryn Jordan, Anthony Laffor, Daniel Mudau.
3 – Esau Kanyenda, Mabhudi Khenyeza, Tshegofatso Mabasa, Alton Meiring, Peter Shalulile, Sibusiso Vilakazi, Sibusiso Zuma.
2 – Lennox Bacela, Jeremy Brockie, Raphael Chukwu, Ayanda Dlamini, Kermit Erasmus, Jean-Marc Ithier, Bongolethu Jayiya, Kaizer Motaung Jnr, Collins Mbesuma, Gabadinho Mhango, John Moshoeu, Gilbert Mushangazhike, Nyasha Mushekwi, Lungisani Ndlela, Tendai Ndoro, Nkosinathi Nhleko, Siyabonga Nomvethe, Abram Raselemane, Lucas Sebona, Jerry Sikhosana.
1 – Brian Amidu, Bradley August, Jean-Paul Bang Penda, Khama Billiat, Caleb Bimenyimana, Andy Boyeli, Alois Bunjira, Collins Chabalala, James Chamanga, Takesure Chinyama, Ranga Chivaviro, Serge Djiehoua, Sede Dion, Bienvenu Eva Nga, Bradley Grobler, Thiyekile Gulwa, Tony Ilodigwe, Erwin Isaacs, Chris Katongo, Jimmy Kauleza, James Keene, Hlompho Kekana, Daine Klate, Augustine Chidi Kwem, Fagrie Lakay, Thabang Lebese, Duncan Lechesa, Zakhele Lepasa, Richard Lishivha, Thapelo Liau, Denis Lota, Aaron Lubunda, Lebogang Maboe, Petros Mahlatsi, Cassius Mailula, Lehlohonolo Majoro, Simon Makhubela, Frank Makua, Mpho Maleka, Patrick Malokase, Edward Manqele, Lebogang Manyama, Rhulani Manzini, Simba Marumo, Katlego Mashego, Charlton Mashumba, Patrick Mayo, Thulasizwe Mbuyane, Gary McNab, Siyabonga Mkhwanazi, Thobani Mncwango, David Modise, Tsweu Mokoro, Matthews Mokotjo, Bryce Moon, Surprise Moriri, Gift Motupa, Katlego Mphela, Sandile Mthethwa, Siphelele Mthembu, Wilfred Mugeyi, Knowledge Musona, Mwape Musonda, Bunene Ngaduane, Stembiso Ngcobo, Mogakolodi Ngele, Aubrey Ngoma, Dumisani Ngwenya, Mamadou Niang, Kenny Niemach, Tsietsi Nikane, David Notoane, Samir Nurkovic, Nuro, Musa Nyatama, Prince Olomu, Bernard Parker, Johannes Pilusa, Jabu Pule, David Radebe, Iqraam Rayners, Lucas Ribeiro, Eleazar Rodgers, Monnapule Saleng, Godfrey Sapula, Gert Schalkwyk, Isaac Shai, Mulondo Sikhwivhilu, Gaston Sirino, Moses Spandeel, Jose Torrealba, Benedict Vilakazi, Sifiso Vilakazi, Mark Williams, Themba Zwane.
