Encounter with Augustine Makalakalane (Agnes Nkosi' Story)

Mohau Ramashidja

CAF Women’s Champions League winning assistant coach Agnes Nkosi, used to get earrings as mocking gestures from the then Banyana Banyana coach Augustine Makalakalane, in the three caps she has played for the national team.

Makalakalane used this gesture to ridicule the now first female assistant coach to ever lead a club to continental glory, without the presence of her head coach in the dugout, in insinuating that she looked like a boy. Sundowns Ladies coach, Jerry Tshabalala, was not allowed to sit on the bench due to the fact that he did not possess any of the required CAF coaching badges but that of SAFA’s.

“This man (Makalakalane) made my life a living hell during my stint with Banyana Banyana,” Nkosi recalls. “We travelled by plane in all the three matches I played for the senior national women’s football team and he would buy me earrings at the airport in each camp I reported to under his stewardship. He said earrings would make me look better, more feminine, as in his own words: I looked like a boy. 

“Playing under him was also tough,” Nkosi adds. “He used to shout at me at times whenever I made a simple mistake in training and insisted in stating that he didn’t call me up but someone else did. It was Fran (Hilton-Smith) who roped me into the national scene and told me she believed in my potential of competing and representing my country at that level. 

“I used to cry every night whenever I was in camp. My then national team teammates like Sanah Mollo saw all of this and would encourage me to not pay him any mind and that he could see that I was onto him in how he conducted himself around other players. We had our suspicions (of his inappropriate behaviour with national team players) until players like Nthabiseng ‘Moemish’ Matshaba broke the silence (in 2010) regarding what was really happening to them in camp.”

Makalakalane was then later fired from his national team coaching job, following an investigation conducted by SAFA, which saw it fit to release the Bafana Bafana legend from his responsibilities, following allegations of sexual harassment.

In coach Tshabalala, though, both Matshaba and Nkosi, together with their other teammates, have found a genuine father figure who has always had their best intentions at heart. In the upcoming Hollywoodbets Super League season which will kick-off this coming month, Nkosi will serve as coach Tshabalala’s assistant in her first official professional league season after impressing him operating as a player/coach during the COSAFA CAF Women’s Champions league qualifiers and the main event in Egypt last year.

 When Tshabalala realised that Nkosi’s legs were now beginning to give in, the Free State-born gaffer told her player to start working in her coaching badges, including the current CAF C Coaching Licence which allowed her to be on the bench at both the COSAFA CAF Women’s Champions League qualifier tournament and the CAF Women’s Champions League event. Sundowns went on to win both tournaments undefeated, with Nkosi left to make some key decisions in crucial matches, on her own.

In fact, it was coach Tshabalala who insisted that Nkosi should lead the team when the club management were suggesting their reserve league team head coach, Surprise Moriri to take over the reins.

“Hee-hee you know, God works in mysterious ways,” sitting in his office at Sundowns’ headquarters with his forearms leaning against his desk, Tshabalala began to narrate how things unfolded.

“The time I was telling Nkosi to work on her coaching badges I didn’t know that we would be in this predicament. Leading up to the COSAFA CAF Women’s Champions League qualifier tournament, COSAFA informed me that I would not be allowed to sit on the bench because of my coaching credentials. I only possess SAFA coaching licences and they needed a CAF (coaching badge as a minimum requirement). I was told though, that I would be allowed to do all media engagements, which I was okay with. The management of the club were also thinking of bringing in Surprise (Moriri) to fill in that gap and you know what happened? Just a week to go before we flew to Durban for the Champions League qualifiers, Nkosi’s coaching licence came through from CAF. 

“My decision was simple from then,” Tshabalala adds. “She was the one who was going to lead the team and do the post match interviews and all. And I was okay with it. The club’s Chairman called and asked me and said: ‘Coach Jerry, are you sure about this? And I said: ‘Yes. Absolutely, chairman. Agnes will lead the team’. And we did it.”

And if tears are but a jostle, a prayer to the footballing gods that their bestowed upon gifts on the ones whom they had predestined for greatness, are now growing weary because of the trials endured; then every sheared tear by Nkosi has certainly carried her to be where she is now. 

Nkosi concedes that those answered prayers came as a series of little miracles, though, leading a young girl considered to be a misfit by those around her, playing a sport which possessed no potential of being an actual solid career in her country then, to right to where she is now –and that is in the history books and a promising future up ahead.

“I’ve always been different whilst growing up,” Nkosi says. “I grew up playing football with boys and never liked wearing skirts. My primary school days were the hardest because the teachers there would always insist that I should wear a skirt to school. I didn’t like that, not even one bit,” she chuckles. “So what I would do was leave for school every morning at 6:30 wearing my school pants and with my skirt in my schoolbag. It was a 30-minute walk from Muzimhlophe hostels (Soweto) were I stayed with my mom and she would wonder why I left that early. Our school only started at 7:30am and there was a bush not far from our school where I use to go to and changed the skirt they wanted me to change into. Leaving early allowed me enough time to do just that. One day she asked me: ‘Kanti uya phi ekuseni kangaga’ (which is IsiZulu for: where are off to this early in the morning). And I would say: ‘Ngi sayo shintsha ma’ (which loosely translates: I’m going to stop by the bushes and change into my school dress, ma),” she says bursting out with a raucous laugh.

More humorous incidents happened when she got to meet her father for the first time in the year 2011. Nkosi was 24 years old then. “My dad is a strict Zulu man and when we finally met for the first time, he welcomed me, who I was, how I looked and my preferred style of clothing. He used to work as a security guard in some store in town and I would visit him there quite often. People would pass and greet: ‘Good day gentlemen’ and he would burst out laughing, making the whole incident light, fun and humorous. He never judged or questioned my preferences. Not once. He accepted me as I was and we had wonderful moments together up until he passed in 2019. I enjoyed the time I got to spent with him.”

With her mother the only parent that she is left with, following her father’s passing, Nkosi says one of her dreams is to one day move her out of the Mzimhlophe hostels in Soweto to a new living area, given the sacrifices she had seen her mother make just to take care of her and three other siblings.

“That’s one of my dreams which I wish to accomplish,” Nkosi says. “My mom is now 76 (years old) and I’m the one who forced her to retire from her domestic worker job when COVID-19 hit back in 2020. I didn’t want to risk it and I’m glad that she finally gave in to me finally taking care of her, whilst she’s busy looking after two of my sister’s kids. My childhood dream has always been to force her into retirement and get her one of those nice houses she would take me with at Balfour Park, and have people working for her, for a change. Hopefully this new coach path that I’m embarking on will enable me to achieve just that in time.”

Meanwhile, Nkosi has welcomed CAF’s decision to have this year’s CAF Women’s Champions League to be played in South Africa, adding that it will serve to their advantage as Sundowns Ladies endeavour to defend their title.

“Let them come so that we can give them a proper hiding,” Nkosi says with a chuckle, however firm at this utterance. “We want to defend our league title this coming season and that is a step in the right direction in working towards our ultimate goal which is pushing for our second star. It can be done.”

Born to a bloodline footballers, Brooks targets second COSAFA title

3 July 2022 – When Fabian Brooks met his wife Melanie Brooks in 1995, the footballing gods, in their pantheon ranks above, saw a perfect opportunity to birth out an offspring that would break the family's mold in the beautiful game that is soccer.

Both Fabian and Melanie had been footballers, however, none turning pro during their playing days. Fabian tore his ACL while plying his trade for the then Wits University's affiliated side Wits Eagles FC, while his now wife of 23 years called it quits from the then Maritzburg United Women' side, as there was money in women's football then. She now works as a banking consultant in one of South Africa's top five banks.

Those who saw Fabian play said he was a lethal striker who, if it wasn't for the knee injury, could have easily broken into the professional scene. Melanie was a good centre-back who only managed to achieve provincial colours during her playing days.

On 01 March 2001 the pair gave birth to their son, one who would play where they had never played before; and that is in the centre. They named him Ethan Brooks, the currently most capped player in the current Bafana Bafana squad that is to compete at this year's COSAFA Cup tournament in Durban. The 21-year old credits his growth and progression in his football career to both of his parents who have supported his dreams the moment he realised football was what he wanted to pursue with his life.

Like Pele of Brazil, who wanted to honour his father who also played as a striker by achieving great feats with The Seleção, Brooks holds similar ambitions, too.

"I one day want to represent South Africa in an AFCON tournament and then play in the FIFA World Cup tournament one of the good days," Brooks says.

At this COSAFA Cup tournament, the newly signed AmaZulu midfielder goes in as the most experienced in camp, having played in last year' Southern regional football tournament when South Africa beat Senegal on penalties in the final.

Brooks added that what helped the previous group is that they all had a winner's mindset, stating that the current crop of players share that same mentality, too.

Bafana Bafana are currently in camp in Johannesburg, and will travel to Durban on 10 July ahead of the first encounter against Mozambique in the quarter-finals on 13 July.

"What worked for last year's group had the winner's mindset and that is what helped us clinch the title," Brooks said. "This current group of players share the same mindset and desire and I believe we will do well there."

Movie Review

Name: The Blind Side

PG: 13

Length: 02:29:32

Rating: 7/10

Director: John Lee Hancock

Writers: Michael Lewis (Book), John Lee Hancock

By Mohau Ramashidja

Shaking off the mindset of the matrix he was born into turned out not to be an easy task for him to implement. “I go to the bathroom, look into the mirror and say ‘This is not Michael Oher’,” he said.

Born to a mother who was a drug addict and forming part of the 12 siblings from different fathers, Michael Oher had to learn how to survive on his own. Having been in and out of foster homes Oher finds himself living off the streets and sometimes accommodated over a friend’s house for a night.  

The Blind Side: Staring Sandra Bullock as Leigh Anne Tuohy and Quinton Aaron as Michael Oher is a must see.

If you are an emotional rollercoaster ride junky then this is a definite fix for your uncontrollable habit. Based on a true story, this biographical tale takes you straight in to the wits and warts-and-all of the making of the “NFL Star” Michael Oher.

An unplanned motherly affection towards a homeless child and the adaptability of the child’s new understanding of being loved, will keep you glued to your screens throughout.

Amongst many other things, John Lee Hancock did a commendable job by bringing to light the racial divide between Blacks and Whites and the gap between the rich and the poor within the American society.

The movie however, failed to share a light on the fact that Sean Tuohy, before becoming a millionaire, grew up a poor White child, hence that’s why he had a heart of helping out kids from disadvantaged backgrounds (Black or White). Second, although it was the Tuohys who took Michael in, it wasn’t Leigh Anne (Sean’s wife) who taught the boy how to play football.

Maybe it is advisable that, after watching this piece, you get yourself a copy of Michael Louis’ The Blind Side: The Evolution of a Game; published 2006. The scenery is much better there.

FC Barcelona: Messi Scores a spell breaker

 

By Mohau Ramashidja

FC Barcelona travelled to England on Tuesday hoping not to get a royal hiding from the queen’s knights, Manchester City FC.

Barca entered into their tenth in a row last sixteen clash of the UEFA Champions League with a record of 14 defeats, eight draws and six wins playing in England. However the newcomers had a far much more impressive record sheet. Man City had only lost once against Bayern Munich in their 23 continental clashes earlier this season. And given the level of managerial experience under Manuel Pellegrini; Man City fans sure hope for a tailor-made defeat for the Spaniards.

But it was in the first seven minutes after Kick off that Etihad Stadium was arrayed with the style of football their opposition had brought to their park. Quick ball distribution was the order of the day. Calmness and absolute concentration was a necessity to defuse a ticking bomb (or ball) set before them.  Xavi’s thunderbolt Cleared away by Man City’s Joe Hart and Negredo missing one of his many scoring chances telegraphed to him.

Although the first half birthed out unnecessary fouls and a goalless tie between the two, the 2^nd half had a different story to tell. It was all thanks to Man City’s Defender Demichelis’ foul on Messi which awarded Barcelona a penalty spot to score a spell breaker of the last seven years without a win in England. It was Messi who did the honours in the 54^th minute, scoring his 388 goal for his current club.

Both sides made substitutions in the 73^rd minute to solidify their squads. But it was Barca’s manager Gerardo Martino who had the winning cards on the table.

Slick passing between Naymar and Dani Alves birthed out a classical finish in the dying ends of the 2^nd half, thanks to the rightback’s impeccable finish.

Manchester City is set to lock horns for a comeback with FC Barcelona at Camp Nou stadium on March 12. Match kicks off at 9:45 PM South Africa standard time.

...hope this helps.

Social Unrest comes to life in the Garden town (Tzaneen, South Africa). Alleged salary disparities and corruption are the everyday norm in the running of the Greater Tzaneen Municipalities (GTM). Come as we investigate the truth from the ground up. As we talk to the very people who are affected by everyday decisions of the municipality and the alleged culprits.

Mohau Ramashidja reports...