Why is this forced promotion happening? What does it achieve?

ZPL is the pinnacle of pub football. A place where you can train less, more relaxed competitive environment. Play with mates. Why ruin that? Making it optional works perfectly fine to make the stepping stones required.

Is this going to make NPL2 stronger? I don't think so. Unless that club has full aspirations and huge $$$ they will just fall over. And who wins out of that?