Give Banyana their due, it’s earned

BANYANA Banyana are the pride of South African football. Their courageous runners-up finish at the African Women’s Cup of Nations tells a story of a unified team, determined to make the most of their talent and inspire those around them in the process.

The men’s senior national team are Safa’s premier brand but over a decade of mediocrity has seen their public rapport plummet to unimaginable depths.

The fact that Nigerian fans outnumbered South Africans at a recent 2019 Afcon qualifier at Soccer City is testament to just how little faith the nation has in Bafana Bafana.

But let’s forget Bafana for now and focus more on celebrating Desiree Ellis’s ensemble who have qualified for the 2019 Fifa Women’s World Cup in France next year. It will be Banyana Banyana’s first appearance at the showpiece and boy do they deserve to be there.

Ellis would have worn a proud smile on her face as she travelled to Paris for the draw last weekend.

The former Banyana Banyana captain has transformed the team, building on the work done by Joseph Mkhonza and Vera Pauw before her.

For over a year she worked as an interim coach following the departure of Pauw after the team were knocked out at the group stage of the Rio Olympics.

Born and bred in Salt River, Cape Town, Ellis understands the landscape but most importantly she is in tune with the hearts of South Africa’s best female footballers.

After beating Nigeria in the opening game of the Awcon, Banyana Banyana grew in stature with each game. By the time the public woke up from their Bafana-induced slumber, Banyana were about to play the final.

Led by the experienced Janine Van Wyk, along with the exciting Thembi Kgatlana and the impressive Refiloe Jane, Banyana play an attractive brand of possession football, one that yields positive results.

The crying shame however is that they earn only around R5 000 per game while their male counterparts earn 10 times that amount for a win, not that it happens very often.

They are grossly underpaid but qualification for the World Cup has opened new doors.

Private businesses must support our ladies now, equality is the basic demand.

The draw dealt a tough hand for Banyana. Group B boasts two-time World Champions, Germany, an ever improving Spain and 1999 finalists, China.

These ladies are top players, many of whom ply their trade overseas. It’s a business, a livelihood. Pay them what they deserve and they will shine on the world stage.

This is the start of something special, I can feel it.

Siyaya eFrance!