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South Africa has been nominated in all the seven women's categories of the 2023 CAF Awards set for Monday, December 11, in Marrakech, Morocco.
Leading the charge for South Africa is Banyana Banyana who have been named among 10 nations for the CAF National Team of the Year Accolade, alongside Burkina Faso, Burundi, Ghana, Malawi, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia.
The South Africans, who won the award in 2022, had a year to remember – they were crowned the African Champions after winning their maiden continental title at the 2022 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and went on to make history by not only registering their first win at the tournament, but also progressed to the Round of 16.
Joining them in Australia and New Zealand were Nigeria and debutants Morocco, who also made it to the second round, as well as Zambia who, however, could not get out of their group in their first attempt at the global women’s football showpiece.
Six South Africans feature among 30 nominees in the CAF Player of the Year award – Andile Dlamini, Hilda Magaia, Jermaine Seoposenwe, Linda Motlhalo, Refiloe Jane and Thembi Kgatlana.
With the exception of Dlamini – who runs out for Mamelodi Sundowns in South Africa, all the other players ply their trade abroad in South Korea, Mexico, Scotland, Italy, and the USA respectively.
Kgatlana won the accolade in 2018, becoming only the second South African after Spain-based Noko Matlou in 2008.
In the CAF Women’s Coach of the Year category, Banyana Banyana mentor Ellis has been nominated for the fourth year in a row, and this time accompanied by Mamelodi Sundowns Head Coach Jerry Tshabalala – who is in Cote d’Ivoire in charge of the team in the 2023 CAF Women’s Champions League, as they prepare for the semi-finals.
Ellis is the current holder, winning it three times in succession.
Also on the list are Randy Waldrum (Nigeria), Reynald Pedros (Morocco), Lovemore Fasili (Malawi), Nana Joe Adarkwa (Ampem Darkoa – Ghana), Mehdi El Qauchouri (SC Casablanca – Morocco), Mohamed Amine Alioua (AS FAR – Morocco), M. Moussa Cisse (Senegal) and Ester Chamruma (JKT Queens – Tanzania).
Reigning Hollywoodbets Super League champions, Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, have again been nominated for the CAF Club of the Year award they won last year. Seven other teams are in the running, including CAF Women’s Champions League holders, AS FAR Rabat from Morocco – who could provide strong resistance – as well as Athlético de Abidjan (Cote d’Ivoire), Huracanes (Equatorial Guinea), Ampem Darkoa (Ghana), AS Mande (Mali), SC Casablanca (Morocco) and JKT Queens (Tanzania).
South Africa’s Kaylin Swart of JVW and Andile Dlamini of Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies – who both play in the Hollywoodbets Super League – will go head-to-head, along with eight other goal minders, in the CAF Goalkeeper of the Year category, introduced for the first time this year.
Mamelodi Sundown’s Lebohang Ramalepe is the only South African on the list of the CAF Interclub Player of the Year nominees, while Thubelihle Shamase of the University of Johannesburg will contest the CAF Young Player of the Year award.
Full list of South Africans nominated:
Andile Dlamini
Hildah Magaia
Linda Motlhalo
Jermaine Seoposenwe
Thembi Kgatlana
Refiloe Jane
Lebohang Ramalepe (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Thubelihle Shamase (University of Johannesburg)
Desiree Ellis (Banyana Banyana)
Jerry Tshabalala (Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies)
Kaylin Swart (JVW)
Andile Dlamini (Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies)
Banyana Banyana
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies
