Teen dreams – It’s hard being a young soccer player, says Banyana striker Majiya

Nthabiseng Majiya’s passionate celebration as she netted the winning goal for Banyana Banyana against Botswana during the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) group phase back in July will remain one of the highlights of South Africa’s historic run at the continental showpiece.

Banyana Banyana had reached the final of the Wafcon multiple times. Each time they had tripped at the final hurdle. Until 2022.

For Majiya, who at 18 years old was the youngest member of Desiree Ellis’s history-­making side, the experience was invaluable. She was ready for it, too.

Coming from the bench, she scored the sole goal against Botswana to ensure South Africa ended the group phase of Wafcon with a perfect record. It was an incredible highlight for Majiya, who hails from Philip­polis in the Free State.

“I was expecting anything. You never know what might happen. So you have to be ready in moments like these. I was always ready to play and help my team,” Majiya told Daily Maverick during Banyana’s training session for an international friendly against Australia recently.

That strike, and ultimately walking away with a Wafcon gold medal, added to Majiya’s list of accolades in the past 12 months that saw her finish second in the Hollywoodbets Super League scoring charts.

The young striker netted 20 goals in South Africa’s domestic top-flight league for her Richmond United side in the 2021 season. The only players to score more than her were joint top scorers Andisiwe Mgcoyi of Mamelodi Sundowns and Nompumelelo Nyandeni of JVW (with 27 goals apiece).

In spite of those scintillating performances for Richmond, the club ended last season only in 11th spot – with the striker’s 20 goals making up almost half of the 44 goals the team scored.

For her efforts, she was rewarded with the gong for 2021 Young Player of the Season, during the inaugural Super League awards earlier this year.

“I’m still the same humble Nthabiseng I was before. But definitely my life has changed a lot. Especially after winning Wafcon,” Majiya said.

Nthabiseng Majiya of South Africa celebrates a goal during the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations match against Botswana on 10 July 2022. (Photo: Samuel Shivambu / BackpagePix)

Financial boost

The teenager, like her Banyana teammates, received a major financial boost when the team achieved that memorable Wafcon triumph.

In addition, the government of the Northern Cape – where she is based with Richmond – rewarded Majiya with a further R100,000, to complement the pool of just more than half a million rand she had earned from national government bonuses and tournament prize money.

However, because of the financial constraints that come with being a female footballer, as well as Majiya’s family circumstances, the windfall will only stretch so far.

One of South Africa’s best female footballers of all time, striker Thembi Kgatlana, recently laid bare the challenges faced by the country’s female footballers – especially those based locally.

“The issue of money is not just at national level. It has to start somewhere. The girls playing in the Hollywoodbets Super League – how many of them have contracts? You have to have a contract in order to be paid,” said Kgatlana.

“A lot of these girls are discouraged. They have to choose between going to school and work or playing football.”

Majiya is somehow juggling all those demands. The striker has two younger brothers and also, in her immediate family, her mother, grandmother, aunt and uncle.

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The teen says the situation at home is a typical South African one – with her family barely surviving the financial demands of everyday life. “I come from a good family. Not rich. Poor, to be honest. But they’ve always been supportive of my football career,” Majiya said.

Of course, with her age in mind, she is still under the guidance of the adults around her. This means that, at times, her freedom is restricted, despite her responsibilities as a talented footballer.

The demands of balancing the expectations of her family, football and school take their toll on her, occasionally.

“It can be emotionally [draining] and pressuring. Because I have to listen to others [owing to my age]. Which means sometimes I’m not able to ultimately do the things that make me happy. It’s not easy balancing those demands and also making myself happy,” said Majiya.

“I haven’t done much that makes me happy [outside of football and school]. But I’m still trying to do my best… I’d like to just have time to myself. Just think about only myself, for once. Because right now I’m sacrificing a lot. For my teams and my family. But I’m also still trying to figure out some other things that make me tick,” she went on.

“Balancing football and school is difficult. For example, the final exams are on their way. So, I have to strike a balance between those two important things. Sometimes I have to skip training [to study]. So it’s challenging. But I’ve managed to cope with it.”

Growing up in the Free State, there were not many teams that catered for female footballers, so the soft-spoken Majiya found herself having to play in boys’ teams. Eventually she found teams such as Green Lovers in her native province, to accommodate her.

She played for the club before eventually moving to Richmond. She also represented South Africa at under-17 and under-20 level before graduating to the senior side.

To young girls with ambitions of following in her footsteps, she says: “My advice to them is to work hard. Keep on pushing. Because success does not come without hard work.

“For me to be here, it’s due to my hard work and the sacrifices that I’ve had to make. I’ve always been someone who listens when advised – be it by the senior players or my coaches.”

Shooting for the stars

The diminutive forward has ambitions of leaving South Africa to play football at the highest possible club level.  

Majiya says she would like to emulate and possibly exceed the achievements of teammates such as Jermaine Seoposenwe and Kgatlana – who have both made a name for themselves as stellar South African football exports over the years.

“I want to play overseas. This year I’m in matric. But when I finish matric, I’d like to push to make it elsewhere, outside South Africa. That’s what I want,” Majiya said.

“When I was younger, my role model was [Brazilian striker] Neymar Junior. It still is. But people like Thembi Kgatlana and Jermaine Seoposenwe are also people who I look up to and am inspired by.”

Majiya is also aware that football, especially women’s football, requires a fallback position. A substantial number of her Banyana teammates have tertiary qualifications, and further study is something that the starlet is keen to pursue.

“I’m interested in sports management. I know that it’s important to be educated, because football is a very short career.”  

With the mental fortitude and maturity she has displayed so far, the sky’s the limit for Majiya. If she maintains her trajectory, she may well be etched in history as one of the finest female footballers South Africa has produced. DM168

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R25.