'THE LACK OF RESPECT HURT ME': SEOPOSENWE ON BANYANA BANYANA'S PAY BATTLE

Despite the African Champions and Safa being at loggerheads over bonuses and poor preparation ahead of the tournament, Desiree Ellis’ charges made history by becoming the first South African team to advance from the group stages of a World Cup.

Michael Pedro | 11 August 2023 05:43

Robert Marawa speaks with Banyana Banyana midfielder, Jermaine Seoposenwe.

Banyana Banyana midfielder Jermaine Seoposenwe has reflected on a tumultuous couple of weeks both pre and post-the FIFA Women’s World Cup but believes that she and the team have come out the other side stronger than ever before.

Despite the African champions and Safa being at loggerheads over bonuses and poor preparation ahead of the tournament, Desiree Ellis’ charges made history by becoming the first South African team to advance from the group stages of a World Cup.

Banyana’s journey, unfortunately, ended during the round of 16 after losing 2-0 to the Netherlands.

Speaking to broadcaster Robert Marawa on #MSW, Seoposenwe said there was a sense of relief and accomplishment.

_“I think just a sense of relief and accomplishment. I think as a team, the way we left the country wasn't great. A lot of people had a lot to say about the team's mentality and us as human beings, and they didn't understand the position that we had found ourselves in that moment.”_

Shortly before their departure last month, the reigning African champions were embroiled in a bitter battle with the South African Football Association (Safa) over pay. The saving grace came in the way of the Motsepe Foundation and Ithuba, among others, who made donations to the team.

_“I think just the lack of respect kind of hurt me and I spoke when Danny (Jordan) came over to speak with us, I told him that for me it's not even about what people have said, what NEC members have said, none of that. It's just the lack of respect that we continue to have to go through every time you come to the national team."_

The 29-year-old says she almost teared up when she spoke to Safa president Danny Jordaan ahead of their World Cup departure, telling him how disappointed she was with what was happening.

_"We have achieved so much, we are African champions, we feel like OK this is the time it's going to change. We are going to see change when it comes to Banyana but every time and consistently when coming into camp, we fight, having to work hard to achieve things that no other Banyana team has done before and still getting the same treatment. That was what I related in terms of where I was coming from."_

The Banyana Banyana player says the team understands the role they play in society but she believes people didn’t understand what they were fighting for.

_"We're human at the end of the day and I feel that there is a difference between when you treat players like human beings and you care for them, I don't think it would have happened how it happened. We just felt like they dehumanised us in a type of way."_

At the tournament itself, there were questions around the decision to play Kaylin Swart in goal instead of regular number one, Andile Dlamini. Seoposenwe added that all the noise around the team added to their togetherness.

_"I don’t think she (Kaylin) knew the gravity of what people were saying back home but she’s just a player who the coaches picked. It’s a pity that she is in a position that gets a lot of scrutiny. We told her to get off social media and in that Italy game we should have lost the match but she saved us and no one focused on that, they only focused on the mistakes."_

The midfielder, who played for Samford University’s Bull Dogs in the United States and was their all-time goal scorer and had a record of assists as well, says her injury in the first half of their match against the Netherlands followed by defender Bambanani Mbane’s injury threw a spanner into the team's plans for that match.

_“I think the injuries between me and Bambanani kind of derailed our main goal which was to get to the next round because I felt like we could, we had chances in that game. (I’m) Mainly being disappointed but also being proud of what the team has achieved."_

Seoposenwe, who plays club soccer and has signed a two-year contract with Mexico's Monterrey, says one day when she retires, it will be in Mexico and that she’s enjoying the football there.

_"That's definitely the case. I love Mexico. I've enjoyed my time there I'm moving to one of the biggest clubs in Mexico - Monterrey - so why would I want to leave? My coaches love me there, they play the type of football I want to play. They encourage me to be who I want to be, and I'm in a great mental space there as well."_