‘Is this taking us where we need to go?’ – Kaizer Chiefs’ Motaung
Kaizer Chiefs marketing director Jessica Motaung has raised concerns about the future of women’s football in South Africa, questioning whether its current direction aligns with the nation’s aspirations for the sport.
She was addressing a question about how far Chiefs have progressed in establishing a women’s team.
The African Club Association [ACA] vice president spoke on the sidelines of the historic graduation of 16 female inmates from the Johannesburg Correctional Centre most recently, marking them as the first women from South Africa to complete the innovative Twinning Project, a global football coaching programme
This initiative, a collaboration between Kaizer Chiefs, the FIFA Foundation, and the Department of Correctional Services, aims to rehabilitate women through football coaching, empowering them for successful reintegration into society.
Amakhosi are one of the clubs in the South African PSL that does not have a women’s team. While confirming that the club is working diligently behind the scenes to ensure the women’s team is operational, Motaung stated that there are several factors to consider before they expedite the project.
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE KAIZER CHIEFS ESTABLISH WOMEN’S TEAM
“We also need to look at our structures. We need to look at things like whether we have an environment that’s conducive to having a women’s league. Right now, you have a league that hasn’t even started,” Motaung said.
“How is Desiree [Ellis] choosing her players during a space where players who should have played maybe three or four games have not had a chance to play? So, I think we need to look at the ecosystem. It’s not just about starting a team. We need sustainability.”
JESSICA MOTAUNG SAYS SA WOMEN’S LEAGUE NEEDS HOLISTIC VIEW
She believes South Africa needs a strong league “that is structured for women so that they can get a good platform to showcase their talents.”
“So, I think we need to look at it holistically and not just expect teams to start in a vacuum. I mean, I love the work that’s been done in starting the Hollywoodbets [Super League], but we need to ask ourselves, is this taking us where we need to go? And if it’s not, what needs to be done to have a league that is sustainable but also feeds into the national team?” Asked Motaung.
Motaung said she was encouraged by the work she has done on the continent and the work she has seen being done to take the women’s game to new heights. She has since encouraged people to be patient with the club, as establishing a women’s team is one of their many important upcoming projects.
“People just need to give us the time to be able to finish and do the work. Our focus has been making sure that the first team is secure, our development academy is in place and then making sure that we have the right resources to put a female team in place,” she added.
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