Premier Soccer League (PSL) chairman Irvin Khoza and Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Zizi Kodwa have sent their message of congratulations to Banyana Banyana.
Khoza, a respected football figure in the country, together with Kodwa, joined throngs of South Africans who have praised Banyana for their stellar effort when they defeated Italy 2-1 in wellington on Wednesday, at the Fifa Women’s World Cup currently taking place in New Zealand.
Said Khoza in his heartfelt message: “The Banyana Banyana victory answered the question “how do you win under such scrutiny and pressure?” The answer is consciousness – you need to be conscious all the time. There is simply no place to hide, and where there is no place to hide, honesty is the only sustainable answer. Well done Banyana Banyana.”
Minister Kodwa added his voice to the celebrations: “Banyana Banyana have done it! What a performance. This is a historic moment for South African football. This is a historic moment for women’s sport in the country. Round of 16, here we come,” said Minister Kodwa.
“As Cosafa, (Council of Southern African Football Associations), would like to extend our congratulations to Banyana Banyana after their historic 3-2 victory over Italy at the Fifa Women’s World Cup, which has sealed their place in the round of 16. Coach Desiree Ellis and her team have made our region proud and added to Zambia’s maiden World Cup victory against Costa Rica!,” Cosafa said in a statement.
Said Hilda “Breadwinner” Magaia: “they call me the ‘Bread Winner’, so without the ‘bread winner’ there is no bread, I had to provide the bread for the nation. It really means a lot, especially knowing that we were so close to going home but it really means a lot. It is an emotional one, personally I can say since it’s my first World Cup it’s really an emotional one, I don’t want to lie but it’s all God’s glory for me,” she said.
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