ILAN HERRMANN
Today it has written another chapter in its record book.For the first time in 24 years, it has gained promotion to the top tier of South African club football – it won the playoffs for promotion to the Professional Soccer League (PSL).
No team in the history of South African soccer has had more of a Jewish association than Highlands Park. The club has had numerous Jewish directors and players over the years; the home ground was originally the Balfour Park Stadium and Highlands enjoyed a significant Jewish fan base. The club’s current managers and directors are Brad Kaftel; Larry Brookstone; Hadley Lasarow; and Sinky Mnisi.
Kaftel, whose partnership in the club began in 2008, was over the moon with the club’s recent success. “We’ve had an amazing season. We started slowly but gained momentum as the season progressed. At the halfway mark we were only in sixth place.
“We believed in ourselves throughout and at the start of the campaign knew that we would be promoted. We have a magic team spirit with great belief and the best defence in the league.
“We made some very shrewd signings at the start of the season and the total team delivered when needed to.”
Highlands Park had qualified for the playoffs by coming second in the league behind Baroka FC. They faced Mbombela United on their home turf at the Makhulong Stadium and came away 2-0 victors to earn promotion.
Highlands Park was founded in 1959 by Luc Mattus. Within a few years the club had become the most feared side in the National Football League. This reached its zenith in the 1966/67 seasons when Highlands Park assembled the team many believe to have been the greatest in South African footballing history.
The club has had many top Jewish stars over the years, including Rafi Levi, Martin Cohen and Julie Kaplan in the forefront, with others like Abe Koplow, Dennis Bieber, Robin Kuper, Hazom Hazom, Roy Schewitz, Errol Kaplan, Maish Novick and Roy Weiner, claiming a place in an always competitive side.
In 1983, the team was sold and became Dion Cosmos, which later became Jomo Cosmos. The club re-emerged only to get re-absorbed into another club and was then dismantled.
In 2000 a collaboration was established with Highlands Park and Silver Stars and in 2003 the club reasserted its identity as Highlands Park Football Club.
When the euphoria settles, the challenges that lie ahead for Kaftel and Highlands Park will be many and will come hard and fast. The PSL is tougher on every level. “We’re under no illusions, but we are confident that we can do well. Highland’s is a club with so much heritage and we are determined to build on that.”
