Future is bright for women’s kasi football, says Judith Lengwati
Alex Northrand LFA and Alex Masters Soccer League have a good working relationship not characterised by 'us and them', says deputy AMSL chair Raymond 'Rayzor' Marutha.
The second deputy president of the Alexandra Northrand Local Football Association Judith Lengwati has described the inclusion of women’s football in the Respect and Ubuntu Heritage Cup as a ‘step in the right direction’.
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Addressing attendees at the tournament launch, Lengwati, a footballer born and bred in Alex who played for what was then Rand Afrikaans University now the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and holds a Safa Level 2 referee’s licence, said she was elated that women’s football had been included in this tournament.
“As women footballers, it is difficult to be supported by anyone, even within the family members it becomes a mission to get the necessary support as they start to question your character and social orientation and I am happy that this has not been the case when it comes to women’s inclusion in this tournament.
“Kudos go to the sponsors of the tournament. I also got involved in Alex football when Nkani [Dube], former chairperson of Alex United FC and a longstanding football administrator and the Alex Masters Football Association, came knocking on my door to ask me to join the township football administration.
“I never hesitated when they insisted that the township also needed female voices in its corridors of power to champion the cause of women’s football and ensure it grows from strength to strength to reach new heights.
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“I am happy this is now paying dividends, not just by the inclusion of women in this tournament we are launching today but we now have a fledgling league already of nine teams and the future looks bright,” she said.
Lengwati said many potential sponsors come to the township and dictate that they would only put their money into the development of boys’ football but sponsors of this tournament were different and they said upfront that they would sponsor both boys and girls.
Programme director at the launch Percy Ndaba, from the Alex Masters Soccer League, a social league for ex-footballers professionals, whose day job is running the Alexandra Heritage Centre, said the centre was working on the establishment of a Hall of Fame for Alex football to honour greats such Roger Sishi, Dr Irvin ‘Iron Duke’ Khoza, Nkani Dube, Sylvester ‘Professori’ Ndaba, John Mnisi, Dr Leepile Taunyane and many more.
Deputy chairperson of the Alex Masters Soccer League (AMSL) Raymond ‘Rayzor’ Marutha, who is also a sponsorship partner of the tournament, praised the close working relationship between the Alex mother body [the Alex Northrand LFA] and the AMSL, saying ‘there is no us and them’.
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