It is that time of the year when the spotlight falls on Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF).
Needless to say, the situation in South Africa has become so untenable that the government has classified it a national disaster following the growing concerns over the abuse of women and children.
In fact, SA is experiencing some of the highest rates of this global pandemic.
The sad reality is that this scourge is also not immune to the sporting world, soccer to be specific, where the local custodians have treated this like just another ‘event’ on the calendar, where they can score brownie points, big talk and no action.
They have sadly not utilized the sport, which is usually the catalyst for raising awareness or mobilizing the sporting fraternity; they have dismally failed.
Allow me to explain!
I can reference the sad situation of one of the top female footballers in Cape Town in Keisha Herman. The 24-year-old utility player has basically made a clean sweep at the SAFA Cape Town annual awards last week when she bagged the Women’s Player of the Year for 2025.
The defender, who was turned into attacker by coach Winston Zeederberg, also won the Player of the Series in the Coke Cup and scored some crucial goals en route to help Magic Ladies win their maiden cup title.
Now, Herman, who comes from a football family as her uncle Andy Herman is a coach at Cape Town Spurs, wants nothing more than to play football and to be a role model for the young kids in her Parkwood neighbourhood, as well as the broader SA.
According to Keisha, her success and achievements now feels hollow and meaningless as her dream of representing Banyana Banyana could be shattered and a distant memory because they have not played in a competitive league structure for almost two seasons – why?
Because the big-shots running the show who do not show any respect, compassion or remorse to female football – not from the Safa Western Cape who runs the league where Magic Ladies feature in, nor her Safa Cape Town region which they are affiliated to.
The battle of the Sasol Ladies – between the 14 clubs from the region and Safa WC – is at the centre of the row as the egotistical so-called big-shots are too blind and power hungry to realise they are not just destroying the football careers of the female players, but also their love for the game.
Safa WC boss, Tankiso Modipa has no inclination of the damage the province is doing – mentally and physically. So, does this not constitute abuse or against the fundamental principles of GBVF? How do these leaders look their wives or partners in the eye?
Keisha opened up to No Bones with Jones. “It was a very disappointing year after being suspended from the Sasol League as more than 300 girls from 14 clubs, if I’m not mistaken, were all suspended. I mean the clubs are owed money, but we get suspended.
“It was mentally very difficult to cope and we could see some missing training and losing interest. In some training sessions, we had about six to seven players compared to previous seasons where we never had less than 15 players for every training session, you know.
“I guess the one positive we take out is winning the Coke Cup after such a terrible year. As the captain of the team, I fear that we might lose some girls due to the way we were treated this year. While we sat on the sideline, other ladies’ teams played, which also made us feel that we were wrong – but we weren’t!
“One of my ambitions was to help Magic qualify for the playoff final and win promotion (to the Hollywoodbets Super League as we came so close last season. So, I wanted to make up for it but our dreams were crushed. It’s no secret that the only way we get recognition is if we play in a higher league and that was taken away from all the players of the 14 (suspended) teams,” The Magic captain concluded.
