Title challengers Kaizer Chiefs drew and SuperSport United lost on Saturday in the South African Premiership as they tried to close the gap behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.

Chiefs went ahead after two minutes against mid-table BIDVest Wits in northeastern city Nelspruit only to concede a controversial equaliser soon after and had to settle for a 1-1 draw.

SuperSport slumped to a fourth loss in six matches, falling 1-0 at home against bottom-half AmaZulu in Pretoria township Atteridgeville after squandering numerous chances and having captain Morgan Gould red carded in the closing stages.

Another title contender, Ajax Cape Town, failed to retain a first-half lead and drew 1-1 with struggling Santos in a Cape Town derby while relegation-threatened Jomo Cosmos were held 2-2 by Free State Stars after surrendering a two-goal lead.

A Durban fixture between Golden Arrows and Black Leopards was abandoned after 10 goalless minutes when tear gas, fired to restore order at a nearby political meeting, drifted into the stadium and players fled to the dressing rooms.

Sundowns drew 2-2 at Moroka Swallows on Friday and have 36 points with 12 rounds left in the richest national football league on the continent which offers a $US1.3 million first prize.

Chiefs have 33 points, SuperSport 32, Ajax 31 and defending champions Orlando Pirates, who host mid-table Maritzburg United in Soweto on Sunday, and Swallows have 30 each.

A win by at least two goals would lift Pirates to second place and boost morale before they try to atone for a shock 3-1 home loss when they visit Recreativo do Libolo of Angola next weekend in the CAF Champions League.

Former South Africa striker Bernard Parker scored a rare goal for Chiefs only for Sifiso Vilakazi to level with the ball appearing to touch his hand before landing in the net.

AmaZulu caught three-time champions SuperSport napping with a mid first-half counterattack and Ayanda Dlamini struck the ball between the legs of goalkeeper Ronwen Williams into the net.

Former SuperSport midfielder Brent Carelse converted a first-half penalty to nudge Ajax ahead only for Eleazar Rodgers to beat former Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld with a looping header just past the hour mark.

Togolese players had mixed luck for Free State Stars with Sadate Ouro Akoriko conceding an own-goal to give Cosmos the lead in eastern Johannesburg and Sename Dove Wome bringing the teams level midway through the second half.