Cape Town - When Bafana Bafana - the South African Men’s football team - won the 1996 African Nations Cup on home soil at the FNB Stadium it was a victory for the fledgling Rainbow Nation.
It showed that when South Africans of all races came together, and worked towards one common goal, they could produce magnificent achievements.
Over the intervening years South Africans have worked tirelessly to cross racial barriers and in large have made significant progress in transforming the minds and souls of our people.
Unfortunately this has not been transferred to gender equality in Mzansi. South African women continue to face an uphill battle to be heard, seen and most importantly not hurt.
In 2021, Statistics South Africa released a report, Crimes Against Women in South Africa, indicating that one in five women (21%) had experienced physical violence by a partner.
Gender Based Violence is simply unacceptable. Atrocious in fact.
It is every South African man’s responsibility to stand up against GBV. For every single one has a mother, sister, aunty, daughter, niece or friend that has been affected.
And it is for this reason, that we here at IOL Sport, believe Banyana Banyana’s triumph at Wafcon last month is an even greater achievement and why we have put together this IOL Sport Digimag.
Desiree Ellis, a woman who has survived the ganglands of Hanover Park in Cape Town, to become the most decorated women’s coach in Africa and her Banyana team are the pride of the nation.
Their success goes far beyond the soccer field. They are an inspiration to every young girl in South Africa facing any form of hardship. They have provided the belief that there is light at the end of the tunnel. That there is hope.
The struggle does continue, though, particularly in the bid to get more women in positions of leadership in the boardroom, which will fundamentally transform archaic male-centric principles.
And while it is tempting to say ‘that’s a fight for another day and let’s just celebrate Banyana’s achievements’, I say, we have to do both simultaneously or real change will never materialise.
So, we salute Banyana and every other sportswoman that is featured in this month’s magazine.
But we know that there is still so much more to do…
@ZaahierAdams