Mulaudzi’s double celebration
Just a night after her club Dinamo BSUPC were crowned winners of the Belarus Women’s Cup, Banyana Banyana striker Rhoda Mulaudzi was announced as the inaugural South African Journalism Association’s (Safja) Women's Footballer of the Year on Tuesday.
Rhoda Mulaudzi celebrates a goal during the 2017 COSAFA Women’s Championship Semifinal football match between Zambia and South Africa at Barbourfields Stadium, Bulawayo (Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix)
Mulaudzi has enjoyed quite a sterling season of football which saw her help Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies FC to the title of the Safa National Women’s Football League, before being signed by Dinamo.
The striker says she is excited about the accolade and thanked everyone who has helped her in her journey thus far.
“Thank you very much! I am very excited, it means a lot to me. Last night we were celebrating winning the Belarus Cup final, and today (Tuesday) it’s me again celebrating the success as the SAFJA Women’s Footballer of the Season. I’d love to thank the Almighty God, and also everyone that played a part in my football career, not forgetting my ex-team Mamelodi Sundowns. I’m so excited about me being awarded SAFJA Footballer of the Season,” Mulaudzi told Safja in virtual interview from Minsk, Belarus.
Mulaudzi came out on top against four fellow nominees – Sundowns ladies goalkeeper Andile Dlamini, University of Western Cape’s Bongeka Gamede, Tshwane University of Technology’s Hilda Magaia and First Touch Ladies Academy’s Noko Matlou – in winning the trophy and prize money amounting to R10 000.
Mulaudzi congratulated the nominees and dedicated the award to every woman footballer in the country.
“I would love to congratulate them for being nominated for this SAFJA Award. They are all great players in South Africa and they are always working hard, so I’d like to say to them we are all winners and I believe they still have more to offer in women’s football,” the 30-year old striker continued.
“I would love to dedicate this award to all the women’s footballers out there in South Africa, and I would love to tell them that even though things don’t look to be going your way or at times you feel like giving up, you don’t have to give up.”
Hollywood Bets Operations Executive Sandisiwe Bhnengu congratulated Mulaudzi on her accolade and says they are happy to help develop women’s football.
“We are proud to partner with the South African Football Journalists’ Association through the SAFJA Awards and are thrilled to be a part of the development and growth of women’s football in our country. A massive congratulations to Rhoda Mulaudzi on being awarded the first SAFJA Women’s Footballer of the Season award, and well done to all the nominees involved. We are confident that this will be a long-term and effective partnership with the SAFJA, and are looking forward to the next awards.”
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