Former Banyana Banyana player, and current professional football coach, Simphiwe Dludlu says women’s football needs the support of all stakeholders.

Dludlu, who set out to inspire young football stars in Alexandra on July 18, acknowledged the funding challenges that women in sports continue to face. She stressed that every stakeholder must play a vital role in ensuring women’s sport is supported. Even if it means turning to crowdfunding, she believes parents, and even community members without children,
should take responsibility for investing in the girl child. “The moment we start loving our children to that extent, we’ll be able to invest in them. It’s a love thing more than anything.”

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Dludlu added that local football associations need resources to ensure there is equal investment in both men’s and women’s sides. “Girls can equally do what the boys are doing. It may not be at the same scale, intensity, or consistency, but the girls are capable of the same.”

Her foundation, the Simphiwe Dludlu Foundation, partnered with M-Sports Marketing, a black, female-owned public relations agency, to host a Mandela Day community outreach event. The initiative focused on empowering young girls through football development, mentorship, and education.

Dludlu reflected on her own journey, recalling how growing up without platforms for women in football forced her to play with boys. “It dawned on me the moment I joined an academy at 16, went to a private school, and entered a sports-focused environment. I realised the young girls I left behind in the townships were probably still facing the same challenges I did.”

She founded her foundation to address those very challenges, with the goal of investing in women’s development. “I want to see young women who will be ten times better than Simphiwe Dludlu.”

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The event featured uplifting activities, such as giving players flowers and encouraging them to share positive affirmations or quotes in front of their peers. Beyond workshops, the foundation also bridges resource gaps. “If we receive equipment from donors, we donate it to teams and clubs. We also help coaches design programmes, because establishing an early structure in women’s football means early development, early discovery, early scouting, and early identification of talent.”

M-Sports Marketing business unit director Janet Molekwa said projects investing in women’s interests are incredibly important to them. “Grassroots programmes are something we are very passionate about. We believe sports can change lives.”
Molekwa added that they also value Dludlu’s commitment to giving back to her hometown.

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