Mthethwa Defends Quad Series Squad

Netball South Africa (NSA) has angrily rejected weekend claims of a lack of transformation in the sport, but acknowledged that there was a need to improve the support system for disadvantaged black players. “At this stage, we have nothing to prove as far as transformation is concerned,” declared NSA President Mimi Mthethwa.

Mthethwa was responding to criticism of the team selected for the recent Quad Series in Australia and New Zealand, during which South Africa played the three top-ranked netball countries, Australia, New Zealand and England. “Everyone has an opportunity from early on in their lives to play netball, which is well established in all communities. NSA has national platforms, in the form of the national championships, where players are given a chance to perform and show the selectors what they can do,” said Mthethwa. “Top players at these championships are identified and put onto a national training programme, with a view to being given a chance to represent South Africa.”

Mthethwa said she believed NSA had a duty to do more to provide players from remote areas with mentors who could help them to adhere to the training programmes. “Very often, these players go back to their regions, but because they have no-one to assist them and encourage them, they are unable to keep up with the demands of the fitness programmes they have been asked to follow.

“We have found that it is usually black players who live in the remote areas who are not able to maintain the required level of fitness. Just about all the white players in the national training squads are attached to universities, and have access to the facilities needed to comply with their fitness programmes. They also have the support of the university coaching staff, who are able to monitor and guide them,” said Mthethwa.

She pointed out that black players who were attached to universities were able to meet the requisite fitness levels. “Bongiwe Msomi is one of the fittest of all the players,” she said. “This meant that she was able to play much of the time during the Quad Series. Putting players who were not fit enough into the team would just have been setting them up for failure.”

Although there were only three black players – Msomi, Zanele Mdodana and Thuli Qegu in the Quad Series squad, Mthethwa pointed out that three others – Precious Mthembu, Simnikwe Mdaka and Nontle Gwavu – had been selected, but were not available because of work commitments.

Mthethwa rejected as “silly” criticism of South Africa’s performance in the Quad Series, where the Proteas failed to win any of their six matches. “We didn’t go there thinking we were going to win,” she said. “We were playing the three top teams in the world. We went there to learn and to find out what we needed to do to become one of the top teams. We did not win, but we have beaten Jamaica, who are ranked fourth, and one of these days we will beat third ranked England. If we are going to do that, we need to have the best players available.”