KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture, Amanda Bani-Mapena, has congratulated the Edendale Technical High School girls’ team for winning the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) African Schools Championship in Lilongwe, Malawi.
“We wish to congratulate the Edendale Technical High School, the players and the coaching staff for hoisting high the flag of KwaZulu-Natal and women football in particular,” Bani-Mapena said.
The MEC made these comments when she welcomed the girls’ team at King Shaka International Airport after they were crowned CAF African Schools Champions in Malawi on Monday.
According to CAF, the Edendale Technical won the girls competition after they finished top of the round-robin league. They had already clinched the title before the kick-off of their final fixture against Mothamo JSS from Botswana but ended in style with a 4-0 win.
The gold medallists who also won as the best school team last month at the KwaZulu-Natal Sports Awards, did not only walk away with R1.8 million in prize money from the six-girl teams tournament of the Southern African Schools, but among them they had a leading goal-scorer.
Nobahle Mdelwa was among the scorers, and she finished as the leading markswomen in the competition with seven goals. Asanda Ziqubu, Andiswa Zuma and Aphelele Mhlongo also found the back of the net.
Bani-Mapena said the Pietermaritzburg’s school achievement augured well for women football in the country.
“We are very excited about this feat achieved by the school. This is a great boost to our School Sport project that was relaunched in early September. We hope this win will inspire the next generation of women footballers. In the long run and through this achievement we can safely envision the bright future of Banyana Banyana,” the MEC said.
Edendale Technical High School won the girls competition after finishing with a full haul of 12 points in the round-robin competition.
The boys’ team from Clapham High School also won the boys’ competition after they defeated home side Salima Secondary School in the final.
“Clapham High emerged as the top boys’ team having had a slow start to the campaign, defeating Angolan outfit Rosinha 6-0 in their semi-final.
“Kgaogelo Monanyane was the hero as he scored a hat trick. However, there was an even greater feat from Salima Secondary’s Ishumael Bwanali in the other semi-final as he scored all the goals in the 4-0 victory over IQRA School from Comoros.
“That set up a final clash between the home team and Clapham High, who triumphed thanks to a lone goal from Sibusiso Tolomane as he met a free-kick to slide the ball into the back of the net,” CAF said.
