Stellenbosch FC climbed to fourth spot on the Betway Premiership table after Marumo Gallants 1-0 on Thursday evening.
Sihle Ndluli returned for a landmark 50th appearance for the Maroons in place Jayden Adams suspended, while Xola Mlambo and Matome Mathiane were back in for the visitors.
Ashley Cupido nearly made the opening on seven minutes through a swooping header in the box from a pin-point cross by Fawaaz Basadien, but he missed the mark.
Gallants were looking to hold their own in a tense early spell and managed to win a lot of free-kicks in promising areas through fouls on particular Daniel Msendami.
Mlambo was presented with a golden chance two minutes to the half-hour mark with a shot from outside the area after meeting Siyabulela Shai's pass, but he went way over the target.
After a scoreless first half, Gallants looked to hit the mark earlier on in the second half with a snap effort by Msendami, who was unable to find a way past Sage Stephens..
The Maroons pushed back though over ten minutes from the interval and saw Basadien drag a close-range free-kick from agonizingly off the mark.
With time time beginning to wind down, Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Phathutshedzo Nange came on for the visitors and replaced Mlambo before Sekela Sithole stepped on ahead of Monde Mphambaniso.
The reinforcements posed no problems for the Maroons who were ahead near the final minutes after Thabo Moloisane headed in from close-range following Cupido's cross.
Stellies nearly extended the lead late on through a rasping effort from Devon Titus, but he fluffed his lines in the end as the one goal was enough to seal maximum points.
Confirmed line-ups:
Stellenbosch FC: Stephens, Moloisane, Jurgens, Basadien, Toure, Barns, Nduli, Titus, Butsaka, De Jong, Cupido
Subs: Masuluke, Jabaar, Mdaka, Ahmed, Palace, Onyango, Phili, Mini, Lekoloane
Marumo Gallants: Arubi, Sikhosana, Mabotja, Mathiane, Mokobodi, Msendami, Dhludhlu, X. Mlambo, Shai, Mphambaniso, Khumalo
Subs: K. Mlambo, Nthatheni, Chabatsane, Nange, Nemtajela, Khumalo, Nhlapo, Mahlatsi, Sithole