Limpopo’s Majeje netball girls are best in SA
The u/16 side from Majeje near Phalaborwa beat every team put in front of them to be crowned South Africa's best school netball side.
PHALABORWA – Majeje High School has etched its name into the history books after its u/16 netball team was crowned champions at the South African Schools Netball (SASN) Secondary Schools Championships, completing an unbeaten campaign that saw them win all eight of their matches.
Unbeaten run to the national title
The national championships were held at Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen in Boksburg from Thursday, July 30, to Saturday, August 1, bringing together some of the country’s top school netball teams.
The Limpopo champions dominated throughout, winning four playoff matches before continuing their winning streak in the top eight to secure the title.
“I am super excited that we made it and represented our province and school very well. I was a little nervous because the competition was tough, but I had confidence in my girls. We played eight matches and won every one of them,” said head coach Ruth Mkhatshwa.
Two Majeje teams make nationals
Majeje qualified two teams for the national championships, the u/16 and u/17 squads.
While the u/16 side went all the way, the u/17 team was eliminated in the top-16 playoffs but bounced back to finish ninth nationally, retaining its position as Limpopo’s second-ranked u/17 team.
Months of hard work pay off
Mkhatshwa said the national success was the culmination of months of hard work and consistent performances.
The school entered four teams, u/14, u/15, u/16 and u/17, all of which won their circuit competitions before advancing to the cluster stage, where they again emerged victorious.
The u/14 team went on to finish fourth at district level, while the u/15 side placed third at the Limpopo championships. The u/16 and u/17 teams’ strong performances earned them their national qualification.
Principal hails “inspiring” achievement
Principal Nkhensani Duba praised the achievement.
“I am extremely proud of our players and coach Mkhatshwa for this big achievement. They have worked tirelessly throughout the season, and seeing their dedication rewarded with a national title is truly inspiring.”
