Garankuwa United, sometimes also spelled Ga-Rankuwa United, is a semi-professional association football club based in the Garankuwa township of Pretoria, in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The club was founded in July 2004, to play their first season in the SAFA Regional League. In June 2005, the owners Dingi Rahlagane and Harold "Kaizer" Motaung, decided to acquire the Castle League franchise of the club Buffaloes, based in the North-West province of Vodacom League, which provided the team an automatic promotion to this level for 2005–06. The team's debut season in Vodacom League was very successful, as they managed both to win the North-West province, and get promoted after the provincial play-offs, to play the next two seasons in the National First Division. By June 2007, they were however relegated back again to the North-West province of Vodacom League. They managed again to win the province, both in 2010 and 2011, but today still play in Vodacom League, as they were not yet able to also win the promotional tickets at the provincial play-offs.
Prehistoric team: Ga-Rankuwa United (1960–92)
The current Garankuwa United team, is said to have been founded in June 2005, as a phoenix team of the previous club Ga-Rankuwa United. When the prehistoric team got founded in the early 1960s, it initially had the name ABC FC. Later it changed to Wallabies FC, before the club settled with their final name Ga-Rankuwa United. The team did not compete at the high level in South Africa, but only in various domestic regional leagues, like i.e. the Bopsol league organised by the Bophuthatswana government.
Reached the 1/8-Finals of the 2007 ABSA Cup, where they narrowly were defeated 1–2 by Dynamos.
Won the North West province of Vodacom League in 2006, 2010 and 2011.
Historical League results
2005–06 – 1st
2006–07 – 11th
2007–08 – 8th
2008–09 – 4th
2009–10 – 1st
2010–11 – 1st
Team squad in 2010–11
The players listed below, were spotted at the pitch, when the team met Sivutsa Stars8 June 2011, at the provincial playoffs. Oriel Mtsenga Tshepang Mabatla Conrad Madola Johannes Kgoale Pule Matlokotsi Lebogang Mathopa
Stadium
When the team played at the NationalFirst Division in 2006–08, the preferred home venue was Odi Stadium. This venue had a capacity of 60,000 seats, and had a perfect location just 5 km North of the club house in Garankuwa, being situated in the neighbour township Mabopane. After being relegated to Vodacom League, the team however moved their home venue to these smaller and less expensive stadiums: Medunsa Stadium in 2008–09, Garankuwa Stadium in 2009–10, and Pilditch Stadium in 2010–11.
