# 1996–97 National First Division

The 1996–97 National First Division was the 1st season of the second tier of South African soccer since the reorganisation in 1996.
It consisted of 76 clubs in four streams; Northern, Southern, Western Cape and Natal/Eastern Cape, with the winners being Black Leopards, (Northern), Tembisa Classic (Southern), Santos (Western Cape) and African Wanderers (Natal/Eastern Cape) respectively.
At the end of the season, the division was reduced to two stream of 20 teams each.

## Northern Stream

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Black Leopards (C) | 42 | 26 | 10 | 6 | 86 | 43 | +43 | 88 | Promoted to 1998–99 Premier Soccer League |
| 2 | Ria Stars | 41 | 26 | 7 | 8 | 83 | 34 | +49 | 85 | |
| 3 | Dynamos F.C. | 42 | 24 | 11 | 7 | 93 | 42 | +51 | 83 | |
| 4 | RP Mines | 42 | 23 | 11 | 8 | 59 | 35 | +24 | 80 | |
| 5 | Morning Stars | 42 | 23 | 6 | 13 | 78 | 56 | +22 | 75 | |
| 6 | Pretoria Callies | 42 | 22 | 9 | 11 | 66 | 44 | +22 | 75 | |
| 7 | Tsakane Aces | 42 | 20 | 15 | 7 | 69 | 49 | +20 | 75 | |
| 8 | Acornbush | 42 | 21 | 9 | 12 | 68 | 38 | +30 | 72 | |
| 9 | Ravens | 42 | 20 | 11 | 11 | 68 | 47 | +21 | 71 | |
| 10 | Benfica | 42 | 20 | 11 | 11 | 54 | 40 | +14 | 71 | |
| 11 | Oriental (R) | 42 | 19 | 9 | 14 | 62 | 55 | +7 | 66 | Relegation to 1998–99 SAFA Second Division |
| 12 | Ferrometals (R) | 42 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 52 | 54 | −2 | 63 | Relegation to 1998–99 SAFA Second Division |
| 13 | Middelburg (R) | 42 | 18 | 8 | 16 | 63 | 65 | −2 | 62 | Relegation to 1998–99 SAFA Second Division |
| 14 | Witbank All Stars (R) | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 44 | 53 | −9 | 52 | Relegation to 1998–99 SAFA Second Division |
| 15 | Witbank City (R) | 42 | 14 | 7 | 21 | 61 | 80 | −19 | 49 | Relegation to 1998–99 SAFA Second Division |
| 16 | Barberton (R) | 42 | 11 | 11 | 20 | 51 | 81 | −30 | 44 | Relegation to 1998–99 SAFA Second Division |
| 17 | Highlanders (R) | 42 | 11 | 8 | 23 | 42 | 70 | −28 | 41 | Relegation to 1998–99 SAFA Second Division |
| 18 | Barcelona (R) | 42 | 9 | 9 | 24 | 23 | 34 | −11 | 36 | Relegation to 1998–99 SAFA Second Division |
| 19 | BA XI (R) | 42 | 10 | 6 | 26 | 49 | 99 | −50 | 36 | Relegation to 1998–99 SAFA Second Division |
| 20 | Tihabane Swallows (R) | 42 | 7 | 9 | 26 | 35 | 102 | −67 | 30 | Relegation to 1998–99 SAFA Second Division |
| 21 | Messina Kaizer XI (R) | 42 | 7 | 4 | 31 | 34 | 63 | −29 | 25 | Relegation to 1998–99 SAFA Second Division |
| 22 | Rabali (R) | 42 | 4 | 3 | 35 | 20 | 57 | −37 | 15 | Relegation to 1998–99 SAFA Second Division |

## Western Cape Stream

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Santos (C, P) | 30 | 26 | 1 | 3 | 88 | 19 | +69 | 79 | Qualified for playoffs |
| 2 | Seven Stars | 30 | 24 | 3 | 3 | 77 | 23 | +54 | 75 | |
| 3 | Trinitarians | 30 | 17 | 5 | 8 | 52 | 38 | +14 | 56 | |
| 4 | Avendale Athletico | 30 | 16 | 4 | 10 | 48 | 29 | +19 | 52 | |
| 5 | Wynberg St Johns | 30 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 42 | 30 | +12 | 50 | |
| 6 | Vasco da Gama | 30 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 59 | 45 | +14 | 44 | |
| 7 | Saxon Rovers | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 39 | 39 | 0 | 43 | |
| 8 | FNB Rangers | 30 | 13 | 2 | 15 | 51 | 65 | −14 | 41 | |
| 9 | Mutual (R) | 30 | 12 | 4 | 14 | 40 | 61 | −21 | 40 | Relegation to 1997–98 SAFA Second Division |
| 10 | Edgemead (R) | 30 | 10 | 6 | 14 | 42 | 46 | −4 | 36 | Relegation to 1997–98 SAFA Second Division |
| 11 | Battswood (R) | 30 | 10 | 5 | 15 | 39 | 41 | −2 | 35 | Relegation to 1997–98 SAFA Second Division |
| 12 | Bellville (R) | 30 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 33 | 45 | −12 | 31 | Relegation to 1997–98 SAFA Second Division |
| 13 | Camps Bay (R) | 30 | 6 | 10 | 14 | 29 | 53 | −24 | 28 | Relegation to 1997–98 SAFA Second Division |
| 14 | Newtons (R) | 30 | 6 | 6 | 18 | 33 | 56 | −23 | 24 | Relegation to 1997–98 SAFA Second Division |
| 15 | Norway Parks (R) | 30 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 21 | 52 | −31 | 23 | Relegation to 1997–98 SAFA Second Division |
| 16 | Stephanians (R) | 30 | 3 | 6 | 21 | 23 | 74 | −51 | 15 | Relegation to 1997–98 SAFA Second Division |