Head Coach of the University of the Western Cape, Thinasonke Mbuli, has pleaded with the supporters of the club to be patient with the team as they struggle in the Hollywoodbets Super League, adding that they are in the rebuilding phase.
The Blues are currently 12th on the log standings – an unfamiliar territory considering they finished in second place in the last two seasons when they pushed eventual champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies all the way.
They also made history by becoming the first university team to play in and win the CAF Women’s Champions League COSAFA qualifiers in Malawi, and went on to represent the region at the prestigious TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Champions League in Morocco.
“We are asking our fans to please support the team, the players are working hard every day at training. It’s really unfair to compare them to the team that played in the previous season. Give them time, they’ll turn the corner,” pleaded Mbuli.
The Capetonians have won only four matches in 14 outings this season – with five draws and the same number of defeats. They have 17 points.
Speaking exclusively to CentreCircle.online, Mbuli says they may have to go beyond the borders of South Africa in search of additional players.
“We know our problems, we know why we are currently struggling and we did say we will be patient with this group, it’s going to take some time for them for get it right,” added Mbuli.
“This season reminds me of our first season in the national league – it was a new team, results were not good, we had to be patient and trust what we were doing was right. And this is not an excuse – we released some of our best players, because it was time for them to go. We just need to go around the country/even outside to look for players that will help us to improve again.”
UWC has not won a match in three rounds of fixtures, with two draws followed by a 2-0 defeat at home just this past weekend (Sunday, 10 August 2025) to the University of Fort Hare.
“We couldn’t cope with the pressure they were applying upfront. We conceded from our individual mistakes, and we allowed them to dictate terms; they were in control of the game. They won every ball – first ball, second ball, so we just allowed them to control the game and play our game according to how they forced us to play,” said Mbuli on the club’s website after the UFH clash.
“They came with a game plan to press us, and it worked. They were better than us overall, they dictated the game, and we didn’t have solutions.”
The Capetonians lost three key players last season in their captain Amogelang Motau and vice-captain Bongeka Gamede who moved to Mexico and Denmark respectively as well as Noxolo Cesane who moved to Sundowns Ladies after a stint in Saudi Arabia – and it seems they haven’t recovered.
But they have brought on board Banyana Banyana defender Shakira O’Malley who was based in the USA.
“We are currently busy trying to rebuild the team, so we need to strengthen all the departments, and the centre back position is one of the areas we feel like we need to improve on, that’s why we signed Shakira. She’s been training with the team, we just finalised her paperwork for registration last week, and now she’s ready for selection,” said Mbuli.
UWC host Limpopo’s First Touch Ladies in Cape Town this coming weekend (Saturday, 16 August 2025) and will be hoping for a turn of fortunes.
By Matlhomola Morake
