After playing in three successive netball world cup contests and competing in some of the best and tough leagues in the world, Khayelitsha’s superstar, Phumza Maweni is now ready to impart some of her knowledge and skills to the local community.
Born and raised in the small town of Cala, in the Eastern Cape, the Spar Proteas’ goal defender was among the star performers in the recently concluded Netball World Cup at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).
Not only did she make a name for herself in the 10-day tournament, she also earned a reputation as one of the best defenders in netball with her aggressive and no-nonsense approach.
Playing in front of her home crowd, including her father and her 15-year-old son, Maweni proved that your background does not define anyone’s destiny. She stood head and shoulders with some of the top names in the sport. Although the team would have loved to lift the trophy or improve their global rankings, her heroics were enough to ensure South Africa finished sixth in the tournament with stellar performances against New Zealand and Uganda.
As the world cup storm dies, City Vision caught up with the feisty defender to talk about her netball career. Having played amateur netball on dusty and uneven fields in Cala, Maweni moved to Cape Town in 2003. She played for a Town Two club West Coast until 2005. It was her father’s no-nonsense approach that forced her out of the sport. As a member of the team, she was required to travel to far places and return home late, something that did not sit well with her father. “My father was very strict and I simply could not come home late,” she told City Vision.
After being out of action for about eight years, in 2012, she met a friend who encouraged her to rejoin the sport. After a lot of convincing, she eventually joined Vultures from Site C. “At this point, I could talk sense to my father and I was responsible enough,” said Maweni.
A year later, she was picked for trials while playing in Bellville to play for Western Province. “I did not know anything about that and I did not want to go. It took three coaches to convince me. At the time, I was comfortable playing barefoot and this was prohibited at this level,” shared Maweni. Coming from Khayelitsha, she also could not afford trainers.
A teammate, who had just completed a game, lent her a pair. That proved to be a turning point in her netball career. She reluctantly but quickly moved up the provincial netball ranks before being selected to play for the national team in 2014. “My selection came as a shock. I refused to play at national, but it was the same girl (who lent her trainers) that convinced me to go and play at national.”
Since then, Maweni has been a household name in the netball world. She had stints in the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia. “That is one of the best leagues in the world. It is the big league and every player wants to play in Australia,” said Maweni.
Having played in the previous three netball world cup tournaments (2015 in Sydney, Australia), (2019 in Liverpool, UK) and this year at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, she is now determined to make a difference in her community. Through her foundation, Phumza Maweni Foundation, she empowers young girls to realise their potential while assisting in needy homes.
“I want everyone to benefit, in and out of netball, work and other initiatives. I am who I am today because of these people. I have no words to describe how it felt how to play at home in front of my family. It’s history for me.”
Waweni appealed to young people to never give up on their dreams or doubt themselves. She cited drugs as one of the biggest challenges facing youth. “We need to support our youth so that they do not join these.”