The People's Team will certainly have to be at their best against an Ajax side who are top of the log and recently won the Telkom Cup.
However, results during December show that Santos are in equally good form as their city rivals, which should make for a thrilling derby.
Successful youth development programmes at both clubs mean that there will be a high proportion of Cape Town born players on the field which will add to the passion and excitement of the event at what should be a packed Athlone Stadium.
Santos striker Eleazar Rodgers, a born and bred Capetonian who has risen through the ranks at the People's Team, is confident that his side can overcome Ajax, saying that Santos are "ready and have the right mindset to score goals."
He adds that the People's Team certainly are not in awe of Ajax as a team or of any of their individual players.
Tyren Arendse is a veteran of local derbies, having played in numerous games before his move to Orlando Pirates and then Mamelodi Sundowns.
Now back at Santos, Arendse has been in good form recently and scored the winning goal against SuperSport United in his side's last game on 2008.
Arendse is excited about the prospect of playing in another Cape derby and believes victory could spur a title run for David Bright's men.
"I am very excited as a player to be part of the Cape Town Derby again and I am looking forward to a good game, which could lead Santos FC to the championship," said Arendse.
"It means a lot to me. It is always a crunch match for bragging rights, in order to put you on top, until the next derby," he added.
Skipper Musa Otieno agrees that a win over the Urban Warriors could prove to be a real confidence booster as the team looks to make its mark on the Premiership in 2009.
“Winning against Ajax will be a morale booster for the rest of the remaining games,” he said.
Like his fellow players, Otieno believes that victory for Santos lies in their own hands, and he is not over concerning himself with threats from the Ajax side.
“It will just be ourselves (that we are focussing on, as opposed to the Ajax players), because of the fact that we have worked very hard as a team, defensive and attacking wise.”
* Photo courtesy of Denvor De Wee
