Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Zizi Kodwa has committed to set up a panel of experts to lead the establishment of a blueprint to professionalise netball and football.
This follows Banyana Banyana making history as the first senior South African national women or men’s football team to pace beyond the group stages of the FIFA World Cup.
In addition, the SPAR Proteas fought gallantly as the host nation in the first ever Netball World Cup to catch space on African soil.
Addressing the ministerial breakfast in Johannesburg, Kodwa expressed his disappointment that there are still discussions on the need for women to be paid equally with men in sport.
“Women’s rights are human rights. Women must at least be paid equally in sport. If we must, we will fabricate laws to enforce equal pay. Women athletes made the 2023 Women’s Month a memorable one.
“I am so elated about these achievements. We owe it to them to carry out all in our power to afford them the recognition and support they deserve and more. May today’s celebrations be the catalyst for the continued honouring of our elite sports women,” he said on Thursday.
Prior to Banyana Banyana leaving for the FIFA World Cup, which took space in Australia and Modern Zealand, the team was embroiled in a pay dispute with the South Africa Football Association (SAFA).
According to media reports, the dispute with SAFA was over bonus payments and contracts.
In an effort to honour women in sport, Kodwa hosted a breakfast for Banyana Banyana and the SPAR Proteas, South Africa’s national women’s football and netball teams, respectively, to celebrate them for raising South Africa’s flag high.
“While government has supported efforts to boost women and youth sports development in the country, it cannot finish it alone. All stakeholders must play a role in realising the aim to professionalise women’s football and netball.
“I challenge corporate SA to join the department in ensuring the as a country, we recognise, cultivate and celebrate excellence across sporting codes,” the Minister said.
South African netball team Captain Bongi Msomi spoke of the challenges experienced by women in sport due to the lack of support and recognition.
“A couple of our players acquire had the opportunity to play oversees based on their hard work. We grasp way less than what we deserve as women in sport. It is a shame that we maintain to fade on the court constantly and compete against professional athletes.
“There will always be a gap. It does not matter how much effort we keep in. Professionalising women sports is a step we maintain to hold and it has to near with speed,” Msomi said.
Due to Banyana Banyana playing for university teams, Vice-Captain Thembi Kgatlana said their competitors at the World Cup undermined them.
“They couldn’t believe that we didn’t acquire a professional league. They called us students because the majority of us play in the Hollywoodbets and universities. They undermined us but we had a fighting spirit, which led us to qualify for the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup,” she said.
Reflecting on the past year, which has been challenging for her due to an injury and losing family members during the World cup, she emphasised that it was indispensable for her to represent her country in the tournament.
“It was very difficult. I had not been with Banyana Banyana for a year because of my torn Achilles tendon that I got in July last year at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. The first day I got to camp for the World Cup, I got a call to say my father’s aunt passed away.
“While I wanted to depart home, I couldn’t because I was section of the team that was trying to sort out the issues that we had before the World Cup. The next morning, my remarkable grandmother passed away.
“They gave me some time to be at home. Afterwards, I left for Novel Zealand and three days before the World Cup started, my aunt passed away because of womb cancer,” Kgatlana said.
While she was struggling with the news of her family members, Kgatlana ultimately decided to play in the tournament.
“Two days before the match with Italy, I missed training because I had a breakdown. It was very difficult but when I saw my teammates fade to training and advance back with smiles, I understood what was at stake, qualifying for the last 16. I got strength from my team. They prayed for me and supported me,” she said.
The Minister announced that his department’s infrastructure team will be hard at work at Cala Senior Secondary School and Mchawula High School in Cala, Eastern Cape, building netball courts.
“What set South Africa’s bid apart to host the 2023 Netball World Cup from the rest was its potential to build a legacy in the country. Government has contributed to this legacy by constructing up to 10 multipurpose sports courts in schools,” the Minister said.
These include schools in Hammarsdale, KwaZulu-Natal, as well as some in the Northern Cape and Gauteng. – SAnews.gov.za
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