PIC: Sphamandla Gumede of Dondol Stars

Gauteng ABC Motsepe League side Dondol Stars are the only team still flying the flag for the ‘little guy’ in this year’s Nedbank Cup but will be hoping to add to the rich history of clubs from the lower leagues reaching the semifinals.
They are the last side from outside of the DStv Premiership in the 2023 draw, but face a dauting Last 8 meeting with in-form Orlando Pirates at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on April 15.
It would be a major surprise were they to advance, but having seen off topflight SuperSport United and AmaZulu already this campaign, they have shown they have the fight and the skill to match anyone.
They will also seek to become the first third-tier team to beat three Premiership clubs in a single Nedbank Cup campaign.
Eleven lower league sides have reached the Nedbank Cup semifinals in the past, but only one from the third-tier.
That was Baroka FC in 2011, when they beat Moroka Swallows and Kaizer Chiefs on their way to the semis, where they were unlucky losers on penalties to second-tier Black Leopards.
All the other teams have been from what is now the Motsepe Foundation Championship, including Baroka, who repeated their semifinal feat again in 2016.
Along with Leopards (2009 and 2011), they are the only teams to reach the semis twice while in the lower leagues.
Mpumalanga Black Aces (2008) and University of Pretoria (2009) both won their semifinals but lost in the decider, while United FC (2013), with coach Dan Malesela at the helm, Vasco da Gama (2015), Pretoria Callies (2021) and TTM (2022) all lost their Last 4 matches.
TS Galaxy (2019) claimed victory over Lamontville Golden Arrows in their semifinal four years ago and went on to lift the trophy under Malesela by beating Chiefs in the decider, the only lower league team to win the Nedbank Cup.  
 
LOWER LEAGUE TEAMS INTO THE NEDBANK CUP SEMIFINALS
2008 – Mpumalanga Black Aces
2009 – Black Leopards, University of Pretoria

2010 – None

2011 – Baroka FC, Black Leopards

2012 – None

2013 – United FC

2014 – None

2015 – Vasco da Gama

2016 – Baroka FC

2017 – None

2018 – None

2019 – TS Galaxy

2020 – None

2021 – Pretoria Callies

2022 – TTM