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The Selati Cup: growing women’s soccer in Nkomazi
For years, the Selati Cup has been recognised as a platform for local soccer talent in Nkomazi. Today, that impact is increasingly being seen in the women’s game, where young players are stepping onto bigger stages and proving what is possible.
The women’s division of the tournament continues to grow, with nine women’s teams currently participating in the Selati Cup structures. As interest and participation increase, the tournament is helping create stronger pathways for women pursuing soccer in the region.
Among the standout teams is Schoemansdal Super Strikers, a club that has steadily built a strong presence within women’s soccer in Nkomazi. After competing within local structures connected to the Selati Cup, the team progressed to the Provincial Sasol League in 2018, where they continue to compete today. Their success within the tournament has been equally impressive, with the team claiming the Selati Ladies Cup title three times. Their feeder team, Schoemansdal Young Stars Ladies, has also continued its dominance, winning the Selati Ladies Cup consecutively from 2023 to 2026.
Behind these achievements are players whose journeys are beginning to stretch far beyond local soccer fields. One of them is 20-year-old Mavis Maiacane, a rising star from Schoemansdal who now represents Banyana Banyana at national level while completing her matric studies at Lugebhuta High School in Nkomazi.
Wearing the number 9 jersey for the national team, Mavis has represented South Africa across U17, U20 and senior national structures. Her performances at club level have been equally impressive, finishing as a top goal scorer in the Sasol Provincial League over multiple seasons, including an extraordinary 41 goals in 2022.
Another player making her mark is Naledi Nkosi, a talented Super Strikers player who now represents South Africa at U20 level. After matriculating from Mahlatsi High School in 2023, Naledi continues to show how local talent can grow into national opportunity.
Stories like these reflect the growing impact of women’s soccer within the Selati Cup ecosystem. What began as a community tournament has become an important platform for development, visibility and progression for young women across Nkomazi.
As women’s participation in the tournament continues to grow, so too does the belief that talent from communities like Nkomazi belongs on the biggest stages.
And for the next generation watching from the sidelines, that possibility is becoming easier to imagine.
