Basadi in Action Sports

The spotlight will firmly be on JVW FC and newcomers Ramatlaohle FC when they officially open the 2026 Hollywoodbets Super League season on Friday night at UJ Soweto Campus. Kick-off is scheduled for 7pm, with free entrance for supporters, while fans can also catch the action live on SABC Sport and YouTube. Amanda Mthandi After narrowly missing out on the title last season, JVW returns determined to challenge once again after finishing second in 2025 with an impressive record of 21 wins, six draws and just three defeats. Interestingly, for the second consecutive season, JVW will begin their campaign against a newly promoted side after defeating Ezemvelo 3-2 in last year’s opener. JVW attacker Amanda Mthandi says excitement has been building within the squad after months of waiting for the season to finally begin. “I’m excited about the start of the new season. We’ve been training since the last week of January and there were uncertainties about the league, but now that we know who we a...

Free State Crinums captain, Karla Pretorius is one of the most revered defenders in netball. Her ability to think quickly on her feet is always a difference in the defensive circle of her team.  Karla Pretorius  © However, her journey started from the bottom at little league netball where she fell in love with the game, alongside her sister, Tanya von Berg (née Mostert). They played the sport together until university where they both played for the University of the Free State. Netball took her around the world representing South Africa with the Spar Proteas as well as professional clubs in the United Kingdom and Australia.  Pretorius believes she has accomplished all she sought to. “Right now, I see my netball career as complete in the best way.  I’ve achieved what I set out to, and that gives me a real sense of freedom. I step onto court with pride, contentment, and gratitude. There’s nothing to lose, only an opportunity to give everything I have, every single time...

Defending Hollywoodbets Super League champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies are eager to finally begin their 2026 campaign after an unusually lengthy pre-season caused by the delayed start to the league. Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies  © Gallo Images The newly launched Hollywoodbets Super League format, which was unveiled earlier this month, sees Sundowns Ladies placed in the “Super Era” stream as they prepare to defend their crown once again.  Head Coach Godfrey Sapula admitted that the postponement of the league from its traditional March start to mid-May created unique challenges for the team’s preparations. “The mood is very good in the camp. The players are responding very well, but the challenge was that we initially planned for a six-to-eight-week pre-season,” said Sapula. “It has been a very long pre-season which made things difficult in terms of preparation and knowing how to tone down for the start of the league. But we’ve kept ourselves busy with good practice matches, includ...

The 2026 Hollywoodbets Super League will officially kick off between 22-24 May at the UJ Soweto Stadium as South African women’s football enters a groundbreaking new chapter under the newly launched “Amplified” format. Speaking during the official launch, Hollywoodbets Super League Senior Sponsorship Coordinator for Football Menzi Ngcobo explained that the league has been split into two streams of eight teams — Super Era and Super Rise — to increase competition and create more opportunities for clubs to grow. “This is an opportunity to split the league from 16 teams into two groups of eight. It gives an opportunity for the best of the best to crown themselves champions at the final championship at the end of the playoffs,” said Ngcobo.  HWBSL Groups Under the new structure, teams in each stream will first compete amongst themselves before the top sides progress to the playoff rounds. The winners of Super Era and Super Rise will then meet in a final championship match to determine t...

When KwaZulu-Natal Kingdom Stars defender Thulisile Maduna picked up a ball for the first time, she didn’t realise how far netball could take her. Thanks to her coaches in high school, they were able to show her the potential she possessed. Maduna is part of the squad that is competing in the 2026 edition of the Telkom Netball League which kicked off on 24 April at the Durban University of Technology, Durban.  © The Telkom Netball League will run until 15 June and will be hosted between KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. “I started playing netball when I was still in primary school but I didn’t take it as seriously because I was still young. When I got to high school, that is when I changed how I looked at the sport and decided to be a bit more serious about it,”says Maduna.  Throughout her career, Maduna has competed in the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) Games, the KwaZulu-Natal Super League, and the Spar National Championships, among others for teams like the Pum...

Marumo Gallants have marked a significant milestone in their commitment to women’s football following the acquisition and official launch of Diepkloof Ladies, who are set to compete in the Hollywoodbets Super League. The move will now operate under the club's women empowerment CSI initiative known as Marumo Cares to reinforce a growing trend of professional clubs investing in the women’s game, providing greater structure, visibility, and opportunity. The launch signals more than participation—it represents a clear vision for long-term growth, driven by Technical Director Anna Monate. Central to her philosophy is recruiting players with strong character and untapped potential. “I want players with characters,  you can tell when a player is hungry,” Monate said. “I didn’t understand why these teams got rid of these players, but can they be given a chance?” Her approach focuses on restoring belief and offering opportunities to overlooked talent, building a team rooted in resilience an...