BONGIWE Msomi’s retirement brought about the changing of the guard after eight years at Netball South Africa, who named Khanyisa Chawane as the new national team captain.
Msomi, SA’s most capped netball player, stepped down as the Spar Proteas captain last December. She was at the helm since 2016 and has been replaced by the 28-year-old seasoned pro Chawane.
Chawane, known as KC, was first capped for the national team in 2018. She is a veteran of two Netball World Cups, the 2019 (Liverpool, England) and the 2023 (Cape Town, South Africa) showpieces.
The 34-year-old Karla Pretorius has been named as Chawane’s understudy. The vastly experienced Pretorius enjoys the distinction of being the only SA player ever to lift the title of ‘Player of the Tournament’ at a World Cup. She earned that accolade at the 2019 Netball World Cup.
Chawane was overwhelmed after she was entrusted with the national team captaincy.
“I am overwhelmed with gratitude and excitement to lead this talented group of athletes,” said Chawane.
“I am proud to represent our country and our sport on the global stage.
“To our sponsors, I express great gratitude for your trust and support, especially Spar for being with us for decades. I want to assure you that we will work diligently to justify your investment and make a positive impact.
“To my teammates, I am honoured to stand alongside every one of you. Your dedication, passion and expertise inspire me every day. I promise to support, motivate, and lead you with integrity, empathy, and courage.
“As captain, my goal will be to foster a culture of inclusivity, excellence, teamwork, and resilience. I aim to empower each of you to reach your full potential and together achieve great success.”
Chawane will likely debut as captain in an international at the Ellis Park Arena in October.
Meanwhile, the good news for SA netball this week was the announcement of Spar’s continued sponsorship of Netball South Africa (NSA).
The supermarket giant, which first became involved with local netball in 2000, renewed its sponsorship until 2027. This 24-year association is the longest team title sponsorship in South Africa. The sponsorship of Netball South Africa (NSA) is one of the country’s longest federation sponsorships.
In terms of the sponsorship deal, Spar’s title sponsorship includes the various national teams, the national senior and Under-21 Championships as well as the home Test series. In addition, Spar will be an associate sponsor of the national Fast Five Senior team, the Telkom Netball League and the men’s national championships.
Spar Group marketing director Keegan Alicks said sport provided an exciting platform for brand-building and women’s sport, in particular, presented an excellent channel.
“The huge majority of our customers are women, and we believe we must support them in return,” said Alicks.
“Netball is the most popular sport among women, who are important role players in South Africa.”
NSA has rescheduled the Spar National Championships from August to December due to the Olympic Games. Originally set to take place in Seshego, Limpopo during Women’s Month, the annual provincial event will now be held at the Ellis Park Arena in Johannesburg.
NSA president Cecilia Molokwane explained the decision to postpone the event.
“We cannot compete with the Olympics. We won’t get enough coverage during that period and decided to move the event to the end of the year,” said Molokwane.