The Bloemfontein club have managed only 12 goals in 22 league games this season, a shocking return as their defensive style of football brings the least value for money in the top flight.
Despite barely being able to find the back of the net, they are in 10th place in the table because they have been almost equally as miserly at the back.
They have conceded only 16 times, for a total of 28 goals at either end in their 22 games, or 1.27 per match. Not a great return on ticket-price investment for fans.
Remarkably, only five different players have found the back of the net for Siwelele this season – Siviwe Magidigidi (four goals), Vincent Pule (three), Tebogo Potsane and Chibuike Ohizu (both two), and Kgaogelo Sekgota (one).
They have since sold Magidigidi to Beerschot in Belgium.
Fair to say they have the worst attack in the top flight, but it will likely not cost them relegation.
Cape Town City did pay the price last season when they scored 15 goals, albeit in only 28 games during the shortened campaign due to the demise of Royal AM.
But we have seen worse in South Africa’s top flight. Jomo Cosmos were relegated in the 2007/08 season after scoring only 13 times in 30 matches. Imagine.
Cosmos failed to score in 21 of their 30 matches that campaign, with five of those goals coming within three days of each other in a 2-2 draw with Mamelodi Sundowns and a 3-1 win over Moroka Swallows. They managed only eight goals in the other 28 fixtures.
Anthony Laffor scored five times for the side and Reneilwe Letsholonyane twice, with Nkosinathi Nhleko, back from playing overseas in the United States, Sweden and Norway, managing just one goal.
Cosmos and Tembisa Classic feature on the lowest-scorers list three times each, the most of any clubs.
But a lack of goals does not always mean relegation, far from it.
Polokwane City had the worst attack in the 2023/24 Betway Premiership with only 21 goals scored, yet they finished eighth.
Sekhukhune United were likewise poor in front of goal, with 21 scored in 2021/22, but ended 11th, while Bloemfontein Celtic managed only 16 in 2016/17, but that was still good enough for 12th place.
The ‘highest of the lowest’ for scorers in a 30-game PSL season was 26 by Bay United in 2008/09, considered a reasonably healthy amount these days. But it still left them bottom of the table and relegated.
Fewest goals scored in a PSL season
Over a 34-game season
1996/97: Witbank Aces – 26
1997/98: Moroka Swallows – 30
1998/99: Dynamos – 20
1999/00: Mother City – 22
2000/01: Tembisa Classic – 26
2001/02: Tembisa Classic – 29
Over a 30-game season
2002/03: African Wanderers – 21
2003/04: Jomo Cosmos – 21
2004/05: Wits University – 24
2005/06: Tembisa Classic – 23
2006/07: Benoni Premier United, AmaZulu – 22
2007/08: Jomo Cosmos – 13
2008/09: Bay United – 26
2009/10: Mpumalanga Black Aces – 20
2010/11: Mpumalanga Black Aces – 19
2011/12: Jomo Cosmos – 24
2012/13: AmaZulu – 22
2013/14: University of Pretoria – 25
2014/15: Chippa United – 23
2015/16: Jomo Cosmos – 20
2016/17: Bloemfontein Celtic – 16
2017/18: Ajax Cape Town – 21
2018/19: Maritzburg United – 22
2019/20: Chippa United – 18
2020/21: Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila – 19
2021/22: Sekhukhune United – 21
2022/23: Richards Bay – 20
2023/24: Polokwane City – 21
Over a 28-game season
2024/25: Cape Town City - 15