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- Ekurhuleni Women Legends, led by Martha Monaledi, nurture football among disadvantaged girls, creating a safe space to empower and promote gender equality.
- Refiloe Sekonya oversees mentorship, training, and workshops that build confidence, discipline, goal-setting, and life skills for young girls beyond the pitch.
- They host the Top 8 street tournament and car wash to raise funds for family adoptions, sanitary towels, and to request sponsor donations.
Kwa-Thema – The Ekurhuleni Women Legends (NPO and soccer team) brought together the community of Kwa-Thema in White City for a day packed with thrilling soccer games on April 27.
Lindiwe Ntuli was the main organiser of the street soccer matches in honour of the late Eudy Simelane, who was brutally murdered on April 28, 2008. Simelane was a former Home Sweepers player and a Banyana Banyana player.
The NPO’s coach, Martha Monaledi, said they founded The Ekurhuleni Women Legends to address a fundamental need in the community, especially for women and young girls who lacked access to or opportunities to play the game themselves.
“For a long time, football has been seen as a male-dominated sport, and many talented girls were overlooked simply because of their gender.
“We recognised that there was a gap and a need to create a safe and supportive space where women and girls could participate, grow, and be recognised for their talent.
“That is why we established this NPO, focusing on developing football among disadvantaged groups in our community,” she said.
Monaledi cited that their mission goes beyond just playing soccer, saying we aim to empower, uplift, and bring families together through sport.
She highlighted that their main focus is to also challenge societal perceptions and promote gender equality in football.
“Many of the players we work with come from disadvantaged backgrounds, and this initiative gives them hope, structure, and a sense of belonging.
“As a coach, I am passionate about identifying and nurturing talent. I have seen firsthand how powerful sport can be in changing lives,” she added.
“We host tournaments and expand our programmes every year during Women’s Month in order to benefit many more young people.”
The NPO’s treasurer, Refiloe Sekonya, said they chose to host the Top 8 street soccer tournament to keep the community entertained, united on a day with fewer things to do.
Mostly, they wanted to keep young people off the street and away from harmful activities. Part of the soccer match was a car wash station.
“Many generated from the car wash will go towards our needs as an NPO. Our biggest goal from today’s initiative is to raise enough money in order to adopt families in need, buy them groceries to ensure that they have essentials to keep them going.
“We also aim to purchase sanitary towels, which we will give to young girls who are facing period poverty,” mentioned Sekonya.
Sekonya also raised the need for sponsors who will help them build towards their goal through donations or contributions of three soccer kits, medals, trophies, food, and monetary donations, which will help where help is needed.
She also explained that they provide mentorship to young girls interested in soccer who need guidance. Their focus is not just on developing skills on the field but also on building confidence, discipline, and a sense of purpose among those they mentor.
“Through regular training sessions, observation and workshops, the girls are encouraged to set goals, work as a team, and believe in their abilities both in sport and in everyday life,” she stated.
She added that having positive role models and structured support can make a significant difference, especially for young girls who may not always have access to opportunities in sport.
By creating a safe and encouraging environment, the initiative aims to nurture talent and empower girls to pursue their dreams.
The opening match on the day was between Amapantsula and Lover Boys. The game kept spectators on the edge of their seats, with cheers from every corner of the street.
Amapantsula coach, Tshepo Tshabalala, expressed gratitude for the game, saying his players played well.
“I used my own money to affiliate with these boys simply because I did not want them to sit at home doing nothing while smoking. I needed them active and distracted on a holiday,” he said.
He described the first half as thrilling, saying they were leading.
“I started off the game with insufficient players, but in the second half, more players arrived. That made us gain momentum, and as a result we equalised 2-2 with our opponents. The confidence I instilled during halftime went a long way. I am proud,” he said.
The game concluded with a score of 4-2, a win for Tshabalala’s team. While Lover Boys were the overall winners of the Top Eight matches, the coach could not be reached for comment.
Other scores:
Semi-finals:
- Milani 2:1 Amapantsula
- Lovers 3:1 Umuntu
Curtain-raise:
- Men’s Master’s 2:0 Ekurhuleni Women Legend’s
Finals:
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