Hollywoodbets, in partnership with the South African Football Association and the SABC, pulled out all stops on Saturday (9 November 2023) at Vodaworld to celebrate individuals who were head and shoulders above the rest, who shone brighter than all this season in the South African Premier Women’s Football league, the Hollywoodbets Super League.
On a night when the who’s who of women’s football dressed in their nines to pay tribute to what has been a wonderful campaign for some and a not so good one for others, acclaimed musician Vusi Nova was the main act entertaining the crowd in Midrand.
Sundowns Ladies midfielder Lehlogonolo Mashigo, also known as Hlogi Mash, was the opening act as she swopped the soccer ball for the mic to render a musical item that had the crowd on their feet.
“We wish to send our gratitude to Hollywoodbets as a partner that came to the space when we needed it most, very important is that they came to a space of women’s football, a sport that has been left behind and we want to thank you very much. Throughout the season, teams have played and we have the winners but very important is that we have seen our teams participating in various provinces, various townships, and villages and that makes South African football great,” said SAFA Vice President Linda Zwane.
“Out of this particular initiative this year saw Banyana Banyana playing very well at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup – the South African Football Association is very proud of the team that went to represent us in the World Cup. Recently we have seen Sundowns Ladies representing us and they are the African champions, and that augurs well for South African football and the growth of women football. Let’s make 2024 season greater than what we have done.”
Lesotho’s finest, Boitumelo Rabale, was on the night named the 2023 Hollywoodbets Super League Player of the Year for her sterling work throughout the season.
The Sundowns Ladies forward faced a stiff contest from Bongeka Gamede of the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and Wendy Shongwe from the University of Pretoria, but managed to take home the title – her second similar award in succession.
The Lesotho Women’s National Team captain had a great season, where she led the Brazilians to a treble – COSAFA CUP, CAF Women’s Champions League and the Hollywoodbets Super League – their second haul in three years.
The league award comes at the back of being named the Best Player at the continental competition recently, the CAF Women’s Champions League.
Her feat was not enough, however, to claim the Top Goal Scorer award after netting 19 goals in the 2023 campaign – three shy of Thubelihle Shamase of the University of Johannesburg, who was the outright winner in the category.
Shamase follows in the footsteps of stalwart, Nompumelelo Nyandeni (TS Galaxy Queens) who won it the last two seasons, but shared it with Andisiwe Mgcoyi (Sundowns Ladies) in 2021.
UWC’s Thinasonke Mbuli walked away with the 2023 Coach of the Season accolade, following a stellar season with the Blues. She was unfortunately not present to pick up her award as she was rounding off the USSA Games in Cape Town, where they lost in the final to Maud Khumalo’s Tuks Ladies..
Mbuli, who is the assistant coach to Desiree Ellis at the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana, led her students to dizzying heights as they gave eventual league winners, Sundowns Ladies, a run for their money, only bowing out in the final matches of the season.
The Capetonians are the only side to complete the season with no draw – suffering five losses but managing 25 wins, taking them to 75 points – three behind the champions.
The other nominees in this category were Khumalo (Tuks Ladies) as well as Jerry Tshabalala (Sundowns Ladies) – the latter won it in 2022, while Khumalo and her side were making their debut in the South African elite Women’s Football League.
Kaylin Swart’s year has been one of up and downs – but not one to complain she put her head down and got to work.
On Saturday she was all smiles but also emotional during her acceptance speech after she was named the Hollywoodbets Super League Goalkeeper of the Year award.
Swart played in all the games for JVW, and managed 14 clean sheets, the most by any goal minder in the league this season – the closest were the two other nominees, Katlego Moletsane (Royal AM) and Regirl Ngobeni (UWC), who managed 12 each. Moletsane lifted this trophy in 2022, while Ngobeni scooped it a year earlier (2021).
In only her first season in the Hollywoodbets Super League, defensive midfielder Mmabatho Mogale (University of Pretoria) is the 2023 Young Player of the Year, beating off the challenge of UJ Ladies’ Adrielle Mibe – SA U20 Women’s National teammate – and Sikelelwa Mhlanga from City Lads Ladies.
Mogale has been instrumental in helping Tuks Ladies to an impressive fifth place finish this season. Richmond United’s Nthabiseng Majiya won this award back to back in 2021 and 2022.
It was a good night for the Tshwane institution of learning as they scooped two awards on the night when Boitumelo Lekalakala was named the Administrator of the Year 2023 in one of the new categories in the Hollywoodbets Super League awards. She had to fight off a strong challenge from seasoned administrators, Nolufefe Sila of the University of Johannesburg as well as Dipuo Maboe of Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies.
IN another newly-introduced award, Chuene Morifi of Banyana Ba Style was the outright winner in the Fan’s Player of the Season. Seven other players were nominated: Robyn Moodaly (JVW), Nicole Michael (TS Galaxy Queens), Fikile Magama (UWC), Jeanette Mokota (Royal AM), Asa Rabalao (Tuks Ladies), Michelle Sampson (Richmond United) and Qiniso Shabangu (Durban Ladies).
The duo of match officials, Hloniphile Msezane and Amogelang Msiza made it back to back wins when they were named the Referee of the Season and Assistant Referee of the Season respectively for the second year running.
On the night, Sundowns Ladies were officially crowned the 2023 Hollywoodbets Super League champions, their fourth title in a row.
No other team has managed to win the league since the inception of the elite women’s football in South Africa.
The collected their new trophy and had to celebrate without their coach Jerry Tshabalala who is in Morocco to attend the 2023 CAF Awards. He has been nominated in the Coach of the Year category – he will be hoping for better luck after being dethroned the similar award on the domestic scene by Mbuli of UWC.
“Tonight, we are celebrating the sheroes of football and what a year it’s been. We can all attest to the incredible Hollywoodbets Super League season. When we speak about Sheroes of football, we are talking about the extraordinary woman who defined the new level of success. Hollywoodbets is a proudly South African business that is committed to making unwavering positive change in South Africa. We are all about bringing sports to the people. Earlier this year we saw our very own Banyana Banyana take center stage when competing in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and what a showcase it was. Defying all odds, they became the first South African football team to reach the Round of 16. Sixteen out of the 23 selected players hailed from the Hollywoodbets Super League, which is a strong indication that the league is giving the correct competitive advantage to the players to compete on an international stage,” said Indira Albuquerque from Hollywoodbets.
“We can’t forget to mention the season of Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, who have won a treble – one of the holy grails of football. The League created an environment conducive to participate on the continental stage and guess what? Sundowns Ladies did it again! The competition of the league is truly one that is fostering proper development for players and teams, and this is all thanks to the players and the technical staff who put in hours of work. At Hollywoodbets our investment in the woman’s football game stretches far, to all corners – from the grassroots development teams we empower, to the coaching licenses, to the first aid workshops we are conducting for the woman’s game – it’s all part of the grand scheme to invest in the total woman’s football landscape. We would like to extend our praises for the players and the coaches who have been shortlisted for the CAF awards from Banyana Banyana and Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies. And that’s why we do what we do – to continue to build the sheroes of football in South Africa and continue to celebrate them through and through. Let’s continue to make noise for these teams wherever we can because they have truly shown us who the Sheroes are. To the fans of the game, we would like to say thank you for the support and let’s continue the momentum into the new league, and, obviously, welcome to the two new teams (Fort Hare University and Lindelani Ladies). Congratulations to the finalists, you all give Sheroes its true definition. And from us at Hollywoodbets, thank you!”
As part of their winning prize, all the individual winners will be heading to the United Kingdom for an all-expenses paid trip where they will visit Premier League club Brentford. Earlier this year, the 2021 winners went on the same trip, while the 2022 group will be off to Spain in the new year for a LaLiga experience.
2023 Hollywoodbets Super League Individual Awards Winners:
- Player Of The Season: Boitumelo Rabale (Sundowns Ladies)
- Young Player of the Season: Mmabatho Mogale (Tuks Ladies)
- Goalkeeper Of The Year: Kaylin Swart (JVW)
- Top Goal Scorer: S’phumelele Shamase (UJ Ladies)
- Fan’s Player Of The Season: Chuene Morifi (Sundowns Ladies)
- Administrator Of The Season: Boitumelo Lekalakala (Tuks Ladies)
- Referee Of The Season: Hloniphile Msezane
- Assistant Referee Of The Season: Amogelang Msiza
2022 Hollywoodbets Super League Individual Award Winners:
- Player of the Season: Boitumelo Rabale (Sundowns Ladies)
- Coach of the Season: Jerry Tshabalala (Sundowns Ladies)
- Top Goal scorer: Nompumelelo Nyandeni (JVW)
- Goalkeeper of the Season: Katlego Moletsane (Royal AM)
- Young Player of the Season: Nthabiseng Majiya (Richmond United)
- Referee of the Season: Hloniphile Msezane
- Assistant Referee of the Season: Amogelang Msiza
By Matlhomola Morake
