Mamelodi Sundowns dethroned Orlando Pirates on top of the PSL table on Wednesday night as they brushed off Maritzburg United 2-1 in Pietermaritzburg.
The Brazilians are now three points clear of the Buccaneers at the summit.
They have acquired 43 points after 23 games, while the Sea Robbers are on 40 points after the same number of games.
Sundowns also broke their three-year barren run of results at Harry Gwala, while adding misery to the home side’s fortunes in the league.
Maritzburg are still rooted at the foot of the table with 17 points after 23 games.
They are three points behind the second-from-bottom Chippa United.
Time is running out for Maritzburg, and they need to collect maximum points as soon as possible if they want to keep their Premier Soccer League status.
Sundowns ran Maritzburg ragged in the first half as they netted two quick goals in the first 21 minutes.
Emiliano Tade put Downs in the lead with a well-executed strike, and then Lebohang Maboe doubled the lead after 21 minutes.
But the visitors were reduced to 10 men after Gaston Sirino was given his marching orders for time-wasting.
The Uruguayan received two yellow cards in the space of a minute.
Fortune Makaringe then finally got the better of Downs goalkeeper Denis Onyango after a scramble in the box in the 85th minute.
Maritzburg kept on probing, but the equaliser never came and the game was gone.