Hers is a name that many people who followed the formative years of Banyana Banyana will recall with fondness. Khabo Zitha was skilful, fast, creative and lethal in front of goal. As a pioneer of wo- men's football in the country, nothing pleased her more than watching Banyana advancing to the knockout stage of the recently-ended FIFA Women's World Cup. She feels particularly proud that together with the likes of Desiree Ellis, Mpumi Nyandeni, Sibongile Khumalo, Fikile Sithole and Joanne Solomons, to mention but a few, they proudly laid the foundation for current crop to pass on the baton to the next generation. In this interview with Soccer Laduma's Thomas Kwenaite, Zitha reveals the challenges they faced, why Kaizer Chiefs should have had a women's team ages ago and how she felt about a SAFA NEC member's comments about Banyana on the eve of the global showpiece.
Thomas Kwenaite: Khabza, what were your impressions on Banyana Banyana's performance at the FIFA Women's World Cup?
Khabo Zitha: I was truthfully very impressed with their performance. They really put Africa on the map, and I was particularly proud, as a former footballer, to see them raising their hands to indicate to the world that they were not there to add numbers but to compete. In fact, all the African nations did us proud and it was only Zambia that failed to progress, but at least they won their final group match 3-1. Otherwise Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa did well and they showed that if we can get support from philanthropists and businesspeople, it could make sure that women's football in Africa can grow because there is a lot of latent talent.
TK: Where do you think as Africans we can improve?
KZ: Obviously if we can all establish professional leagues across the continent, we'd be able to surpass achievements of the past. We have athleticism, agility, skill, pace and natural talent. Banyana managed to advance to the knockout stage without the benefit of a professional league. We need to focus on our situation in South Africa before we can comment about what others are doing across the continent.
TK: Is the Hollywoodbets Super League sufficient to fast-track the professionalisation of women's football?
KZ: It is not sufficient without additional support from teams that are in the PSL because if we pull together, we could produce a strong league. If we can get support from the men, we could do wonders. Now Banyana are trending and parents are enquiring about how and where their young girls can play football. We need to increase this support to grow the game.
TK: Do you think the formation of Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates female teams could attract corporates, which could lead to professionalism?
KZ: There will be massive competition because these are huge brands in football and the majority of women support Chiefs, Pirates and (Mamelodi) Sundowns. Imagine when Chiefs play Pirates, it would be another derby extended to the women. When I played for the Soweto Ladies, long before women's football was formalized, we admired Chiefs so much that our team colours resembled those of Chiefs – Gold and Black! It was unfortunate that we were probably not in their plans. Chiefs were supposed to be the first South African team to have a female team.
TK: Was the chaos at Tsakane necessary and do you think it affected the girls going to the World Cup?
KZ: That was not on. It was both shameful and embarrassing, to say the least. It was something that painfully brought back memories of the struggles we used to have during our time and brought to light the conditions under which women's football operates. We played against Nigeria back in 1993 and we didn't get the necessary support required, but we managed to reach the finals of the qualifying stage whether for (the) Olympic Games, Africa Cup of Nations or World Cup, but we always had to scale insurmountable odds every time.
TK: The Tsakane fiasco...?
KZ: Oh yes! To see such a scene unfolding was unacceptable because this was the second World Cup we were attending. We were supposed to be looking back at the previous World Cup and what we had learned from France four years previously. The girls could have been given a better platform. Their qualification and departure could have been better promoted. I still think, truth be told, nothing was done to promote Banyana Banyana. With due respect to Botswana, why bring a country that has never qualified for the Olympics or World Cup as a final dress rehearsal? To rub salt into a festering wound, you take us to a venue the PSL has declared unfit to host professional football and yet we are going to the World Cup.
TK: Speaking to a senior SAFA official, we were told that Stadium Management informed them there were no venues available in Gauteng.
KZ: I refuse to accept that silly excuse. Do you want to tell me that all 2010 World Cup stadiums were unavailable? You want to tell us Mbombela, Moses Mabhida, Cape Town, FNB, all of those venues were unavailable? For your information, we know for a fact that the Limpopo Municipality wrote to SAFA and offered to host Banyana at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium with no cost involved, but no one took up their offer nor responded to their offer. Why were they so determined to let the team play at such a dangerous pitch on the eve of its departure? In spite of public utterances to the contrary, very few people take women's football seriously.
TK: That sounds very harsh!
KZ: It is the truth, and these girls are fighting the same battle that we've been fighting since 1993. The problem is that there are people who, in this day and age, still believe that a woman's place is in the kitchen and they frown upon some of us who love this game with a passion.
TK: Oh really?
KZ: Oh yes. Do you want to deny that a SAFA NEC member publicly chastised the girls during the Tsakane saga and actually said, "I wonder why they are striking for money when we all know that they are going on holiday in Australia and New Zealand. We know that they will be back home after the group stages"? That is the kind of so-called leaders we have that are running our game.
TK: Fran Hilton-Smith once said it had been a tough road for women's football. But has it really been that challenging?
KZ: Some of us are forgotten heroines. We did what we had to do and laid the foundation for the generation that came after us. I am not the least bitter, but some of us sweated blood for the country and gave it our all but have nothing to show for it. I cannot point to anything and tell you, "This is what I bought with the money I made out of football." But it is ok. I'm just proud that we laid a proper foundation. The Tsakane saga was a bit saddening. We didn't have to spend so much negative energy on such trivial issues, but it just goes to show that the more things change, the more they remain the same.
TK: What are some of the memories that come flooding back when you think about your playing days?
KZ: We went to play Nigeria in a World Cup qualifier – it must have been around 1994. We had drawn the first leg match 2-2 at the Caledonian. We then travelled to Nigeria for the second leg. The match had to be postponed because the entire team fell victim to food poisoning. The Match Commissioner then rescheduled the match for Wednesday, but it had to be postponed once more as half the team was still hospitalised. Eventually, we were discharged in dribs and drabs and honoured the game. This is no excuse, but we were no match. They slaughtered us.
TK: Some of the things you say almost sound too fantastic to be true.
KZ: You might think that I'm leading you up a garden path, but in those days, it was common to find officials barging into our dressing rooms and ordering us to strip naked as they wanted to inspect our womanhood. Anywhere we went, you would get snide remarks like we "were not feminine enough", that we should walk in a feminine way, dress in a feminine way in order to attract sponsors. It used to be very hectic, I tell you. But we persevered and today the situation is much better.
TK: Your views about equal pay for athletes representing the country irrespective of gender?
KZ: It's only fair because when you represent your country, it's like having a contract with a nation. It's not permanent, but everybody deserves a chance if they are good enough to showcase their talent irrespective of gender. If males receive a certain amount for the World Cup, we should strive to ensure that the females also receive the same amount.
TK: There are allegations that Banyana Banyana used to receive a hand-me-down kit that had been used by Bafana Bafana…
KZ: Bebasishaya ngama (They used to give us) extra-large pants. Mind you, the kit had already been used by Bafana Bafana and it would be washed and then handed down to us. I remember Sibongile Khumalo wearing the kit that was worn by Lucas Radebe. The track pants could actually fit the two of us. I joke about it now, but that is where we come from. Every time we went to camp, it became standard procedure to bring your own cotton and a needle. We became instant tailors as we had to sew the uniform in order to tighten it, otherwise the extra-large outfits wouldn't fit us.
TK: Hell, we're laughing because we can just imagine Desiree Ellis in a man-size outfit!
KZ: This is no laughing matter. We were, in those days, accommodated at the White House Hotel near Carlton Centre. When it was time to go to training, we would be transported in batches to the Rand Stadium in a yellow taxi. After training, we would be packed into the first group and the taxi driver would return to the Rand Stadium for the second group. Even the casual wear, it would be written "Bafana Bafana" and Nigerian fans mocked us by calling us "Bafana", whereas we were Banyana!
TK: Hectic stuff indeed. Go on, tell us more about those good ol' days?
KZ: Things came to a head one day when myself, Desiree, Sheryl Botes, Sibongile Khumalo, Fikile Sithole, we prepared a petition and ensured that it was signed by all the players. We basically voiced our displeasure about wearing Bafana handouts, traveling in a Bafana bus, and demanded that the federation should show us some respect as we were representing the country. We boycotted training, insisting that we were not prepared to train until our demands were met. Our coach then was the late Ted Dumitru and he told us he supported us and because we were involved in a just fight. However, he wanted us in training. That night, we had a visit from Nastacia Tsichlas, and she was not particularly happy with us and made it known to us without mincing her words. We were so scared! I remember Desiree whispering that she regretted signing that petition. But when you look at how the girls are treated today, it has gotten better than during our time. There is still a long way to go, but much has been achieved.
TK: Which coach did you learn the most from and what did he teach you?
KZ: I was coached by some of the best coaches in Mzansi, from Augusto Palacios, Terry Paine, Ted Dumitru – may his soul rest in peace – and I was also coached by mkhulu "Imbuzi" (The Goat) Shakes Mashaba. One day, he brought his family to watch us against Mozambique. I remember at the end of the game, they came to see me and told me that they believed I was one of the best and should keep it up. That humbled me and encouraged me to work harder. I learned quite a lot from these gentlemen mentioned above!
TK: What was the most hilarious moment with Banyana that you can recall?
KZ: It's actually not hilarious but a very painful moment. In those days, we were paid anything between R100 and R300. So, on a trip to Nigeria, we received these cheques, but as soon as we arrived at the OR Tambo, some of us rushed to the Money Exchange outlets to cash the cheques. You can imagine the embarrassment when the cheques bounced. We were so p***ed with frustration that we considered boycotting the fixture. It was only through the persuasion of Fran Hilton-Smith that we reluctantly boarded the flight and honoured the fixture.
TK: Seems like the drama experienced by the Thembi Kgatlanas and this new generation is nothing compared to what you went through in your days?
KZ: I remember I suffered a broken metatarsal fracture, a type of fracture caused by stress on the bones of the foot. Sometimes when you jump or change direction quickly… it makes me even more depressed. But all in all, we were like family. We had each other's backs and I pray that the current generation should also stick together and stand up for each other. They must continue to fight like we also did and eventually the next generation will reap the rewards of all the fights that started back in 1993.
TK: It all sounds so hectic and depressing....
KZ: We cannot dwell on the past but have to forge a positive way forward. We had to play our role. We fought officialdom and were victimised for standing up for our rights. You would be singled out and labelled a bad influence. Yet we would forge ahead because we knew that if we didn't fight, the future generation was doomed. At least we handed this generation the baton and we are proud of what they have achieved so far. You know, truth be told, it is wrong and unfair that when you have to receive what is rightfully yours, you first have to fight. It's not right. We can't be fighting for something that is visible to everyone. This women's football can be lovely, it can be wonderful and it can change lives. We are just tired of all these fights, we just cannot go on fighting against people whose sole intention is to sabotage women's football.
TK: Despite the challenges, there must have been some crazy characters in the team during your time…
KZ: I met a lot of fantastic characters, incredible human beings and sisters for life. Vero (Veronica) Phewa, Desiree, as captain, Portia Modise was a youngster but stubborn as hell and crazy too. Mpumi Nyandeni was and still is the mbuzi (goat) in the team. We were a happy lot and yet when we went home, you had nothing to show for it. I'm super happy to hear that the current generation has earned R1.1m each. They deserve it and have earned it. This whole turnaround for the girls has come as a healing process because some of us are permanently scarred. Some are bitter, some are today less supportive of women's football because people sacrificed for the game, others lost their day jobs, people didn't go to school, playing the game thinking it would pay the bills... it never did until retirement. Personally I was unfortunate with injuries, especially my knees!
TK: Let's talk about your injuries, which some of us feel kind of curtailed your career. What actually happened?
KZ: Eish, you know black magic does happen in football! Believe it or not, there is indeed muti in football and my injuries were weird and strange. I don't even know how because, to this day, I don't have answers. I went to a lot of traditional healers trying to fix the knee because modern science couldn't help. It kept recurring and I ended up undergoing 13 surgeries until I called it a day!
TK: What was the diagnosis of the traditional healers?
KZ: I consulted countless traditional healers and their collective prognosis was that I had been "smacked with magical lightning on the knee". I don't know what happened. It was against Cameroon and I was alone. Nobody touched or kicked me. I remember I was about to take off, suddenly I heard a horrible crack, like a whiplash, sounding on my knee. I collapsed and it was the beginning of my nightmare. Even today, I opt to do freestyle juggling. But my knees are rotten, they want nothing to do with the game despite my passion. Sometimes I hanker to play and believe me I try, but I've been scarred forever. I've paid my dues. I've been there since the first Banyana (squad) was assembled in 1993 until 2005 when I applied to the Correctional Services.
TK: Do you still keep in touch with some of the members of that first Banyana squad?
KZ: Oh yes, Desiree we always chat and visit each other whenever possible. You know something that authorities are neglecting is that we should make football accessible to all. You know why? I remember former teammates like Martha Malaku, Portia Mtokwane, Anna Monate, Eva Mokwape, Rose Jiyane... they were all sprinters and excelled in athletics but transitioned to football. Caster Semenya would have also made an excellent footballer but instead focused on athletics, but Noko Matlou was also a sprinter and transitioned to football. We have a lot of work to do.
TK: How did you join the Correctional Services?
KZ: Through a lot of sacrifices. I acquired a Diploma in Sports, Recreation and Marketing through the Vaal University of Technology. It is a course that usually takes three years, but because of my travels with Banyana, I completed it in seven years. Then, towards the end of my career, I submitted an application and was called for an interview. Through the grace of God, they hired me during 2006. I have been a Correctional Officer since and (am) attached to the Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture Department in charge of both male and female inmates at Zonderwater Prison.
TK: On a rather sad note, how is your family coping following the brutal attack on your sister, who was set alight by her boyfriend?
KZ: Mercifully, she is recovering well and gradually healing from her first degree burns. She is doing good and we are so surprised that she survived that brutal attack. The first time when I saw her in hospital, she had been so badly burned that I said a prayer. If people saw her now, they would probably feel we had been exaggerating about her injuries. She has been discharged from hospital and she does the usual chores at home, taking care of mom, cooking and generally cleaning the family house. She attends speech therapy and has to have her wounds dressed once a week. I'm sure she will recover.
TK: We're pleased to hear that, and hope she makes a full recovery soon. Please send our best wishes to her. Moving on, how did your coaching career get off the ground?
KZ: You know coach Augusto Palacios coached me as a player. So, while running the Pirates Academy, he invited me to take charge of the U13 (team), which had the likes of (Lebohang) "Cheeseboy" Mokoena, (Joseph) "Duku-Duku" Makhanya, Excellent Walaza and the late Senzo Meyiwa. I was part of the coaches that included Bernard Lushozi, Ernest Makhanya, (Johannes) "Yster" Khomane and part of our duties was to nurture and then recommend to the first team players that we felt were ready to graduate to the senior team. I was there for five years. But when I was employed at the Correctional Services, I had to cut my ties with Pirates, and I wish to thank coach Palacios and the Pirates technical committee for giving me the platform.
TK: You also coach your own team?
KZ: I started a Ladies team in Cullinan in the area of Refilwe and used to get a lot of support from the taxi association, who assisted with transportation when we had to honour fixtures, but things went pear-shaped and I left to form another team in my hometown of Mamelodi, it's called Mamelodi XI Stars. The objective is to get this team into the Hollywoodbets Super League and we are second behind Tuks on the log table (at the time of the interview). The problem is that we seriously lack resources and if there were people out there that could assist me with transport and maybe even offer sponsorship, I have no doubt that we can make it easily. In our last match, we won 12-0 in Nkangala and I've unearthed an amazing 13-year old girl and a 16-year old. Mark my words, they are destined for Banyana Banyana!
TK: Thank you so much for your time, Khabo. You have addressed some pertinent issues concerning women's football in this interview and hopefully the powers that be are listening. But like you say, things are a lot better in that space than they were years ago. Good luck to you.
KZ: The pleasure was mine.
Thanks!
