INSIDE THE BANYANA BANYANA CAMP

BY PHIRI CAWE

IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE WOMEN LED BY COACH DESIREE ELLIS HAD FORGED STRONG FRIENDSHIPS.

IT’S HARD TO IMAGINE what it was like in the Banyana Banyana changing room during the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in July and August.

MOST PEOPLE MIGHT THINK that being at a World Cup would feel like a pressure cooker. But the camp turned out to be full of fun. During the tournament, we saw the team on social media singing, dancing, praying and enjoying each other’s company. It was clear that the women led by coach Desiree Ellis had forged strong friendships after a lot of fighting about bonuses before they left.

When sanity prevailed, the squad jetted off to represent the county and did well, reaching the Round of 16. The University of the Western Cape (UWC) contributed four players – Sibulele Holweni, Kholosa Biyana, Fikile Magama and Bongeka Gamede – and their contributions put the university on the map.

AFTER THEIR ARRIVAL BACK HOME, Blue and Gold caught up with defenders Magama and Gamede, who revealed what it was like to be part of the national team and to fulfil their personal aspirations. We asked them about their experiences at the World Cup and about the entertainers and singers in the Banyana squad.

MAGAMA, 21, WHO IS STUDYING SPORT SCIENCE, says the entertainer of the team was former UWC midfielder Noxolo Cesane, who plays for the Mexican side Tigres. “She was the funniest of the group and a good entertainer. It was always good to be around her.” Magama also revealed that the singer of the team is goalkeeper Andile Dlamini. When it came to prayer, she said “wonke umntu ebethandaza (we all prayed), but I must say the best dancer is Linda Motlhalo”. Winger Motlhalo plays for Scottish Women’s Premier League club Glasgow City FC.

GAMEDE, 24, WHO IS STUDYING TOURISM MANAGEMENT, also chose 23-year-old Cesane as the entertainer. “She has the ability to make people laugh when she’s around. She is also funny. So I would say she is the funniest too,” she says.

WHEN IT COMES TO THE LEAD SINGER OF THE GROUP, no one matched 31-year-old Dlamini. “She leads and she is a good singer,” says Gamede, agreeing with Magama that Motlhalo was the best dancer. As for prayer, she says coach Ellis always took the lead at training sessions. “At training, coach Des; but for everything else we took turns.”

THE WOMEN WERE OVERJOYED ABOUT THEIR PERFORMANCE at the tournament. They came second to Sweden in the so-called “group of death”, which also included Italy and Argentina. In the Round of 16, they lost 0-2 to the Netherlands, who were then eliminated in the quarterfinals by eventual champions Spain. Credit to the players, coaching staff and management.