Kaizer Chiefs sporting director Kaizer Motaung Jr has explained why the club decided to establish a women’s team from scratch, rather than buy a Hollywoodbets Super League side.
The club launched the Chiefs Ladies team at Brima Cafe in Daveyton, on the East Rand, on Tuesday and confirmed Brima Logistics as the first sponsor of the new side. Chiefs Ladies will participate in the Sasol League, the second tier of South African women’s football.
“It [starting a women’s team from the Sasol League level] was deliberate because the women’s game has its unique challenges, and the Sasol League is no exception, so we want to grow and learn in that space. In the Sasol League you learn a lot of things very quickly,” Motaung said.
“It’s a very proud moment for the club, and it’s been a long time coming. It’s an important step for a club of our size.”
Brima MD Matsietsi Mekoa said the company had approached Amakhosi to be the women’s team sponsor.
“We approached Chiefs because we’ve always wanted to support soccer,” Mekoa said. “In the logistics industry, you have big companies that sponsor rugby and cricket, so we said, ‘soccer is predominantly a black sport’, so we felt it was a good fit for who we are.
“It was important for us as an institution to go in this direction.”
Kaizer Chiefs Ladies Head Coach Unathi Mabena and Jessica Motaung reflect on the launch of the ladies team and the work that’s been done to reach this milestone.#SSDiski pic.twitter.com/KCbRswMVnB
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“I am hoping that … we can encourage other companies to come in, even those that are bigger than us. This is a co-operative effort to get these girls … to reach the global stage.”
Last year, Chiefs adopted Sasol League side Spring Home Sweepers as their women’s team. The collaboration was aimed at helping Amakhosi meet a Confederation of African Football (Caf) requirement that clubs competing in intercontinental tournaments must have a women’s team.
The new Chiefs Ladies squad consists of 24 players, with former Banyana Banyana midfielder Mamello Makhabane and junior internationals Zanele Kunyamane and Katlego Mohale headlining the list.
Coached by Caf A-badge holder Unathi Mabena, Chiefs Ladies will play their home matches at the Kaizer Chiefs Village and KwaThema Stadium in Springs.
Sowetan
