LIMPOPO – Rhoda Mulaudzi has called for more women to participate in sport. She told CV that sport is one of the ways to fight social ills like drug and substance abuse, teenage pregnancy and gender base violence.
The top-striker of Banyana Banyana started playing soccer at a tender age and says that playing sport has a lot of benefits.
“I would like to urge women, young and old, to participate in sport as sport helps a person to live a healthy lifestyle and socialise with other people rather than drinking alcohol or smoking,” she added.
Mulaudzi admitted that there is still a monetary gap between female and male players in sport, but she hopes that this will change because of the government’s vision of creating equal opportunities for all.
She was part of the Banyana Banyana team who participated at the recent Soccer World Cup as well as the Banyana Banyana team who won the Confederations Cup.
Mulaudzi was born in Tshimbupfe Malonga, outside Giyani, and that is where her soccer career began.
“I used to play with the boys at an early age. The sport which they loved was soccer and I got used to playing soccer with them,” she added.
Mulaudzi looks up to the likes of Australian, Sam Kerr, and Barcelona star, Lionel Messi.
She previously played for teams such as Masukume (Malonga), Mamelodi Sundowns, Vaal University of Technology, Nkuri II Experience (Giyani), Chiawelo RYI (Chiawelo, Soweto), Colechest Ladies (Eldorado Park) and Apollon Ladies F.C.
Malaudzi currently plays for Canberra United FC in Australia’s W-League.
The Mayor of Collins Chabane Local Municipality, Moses Maluleke, applauded Mulaudzi for representing the municipality and putting them on the map. He also urged other young people to follow in her footsteps.