Basadi in Action Sports

After six years away from the Varsity Football final, the University of Pretoria (UP-Tuks) women’s team is back on the biggest stage and they come with belief, unity and a strong sense of purpose.  © Varsity Diski Tuks booked their place in the 2026 final with a hard-fought victory over TUT, a result that capped a campaign in which the team steadily grew in confidence and cohesion. For the Tuks coach, Sibusiso Themba, the journey to the final has been challenging but deeply rewarding. “At the start, we were still finding our feet, but the way the ladies came together is amazing.” The coach believes the team’s greatest strength has been its collective spirit. Rather than relying on individual brilliance, Tuks have built their campaign around togetherness, with every player including those coming off the bench playing a role when called upon. “ We win as a collective, not as individuals,” the coach explained. “We fought together as a team, and that is how we managed to get to the fin...

The stage is set for a thrilling Varsity Football Women’s final, with the University of Pretoria (UP TUKS) set to face the University of Johannesburg (UJ) after both sides secured hard-fought victories in their respective semi-finals. X (@TuksSport) The final is scheduled for Wednesday, 19 August at 19:00 at UJ Stadium, Soweto Campus, where the two universities will battle for Varsity Football women’s supremacy.  UJ booked their place in the final with a narrow 1-0 victory over the University of the Western Cape (UWC), exacting revenge for last year’s final defeat against the same opponents. The tightly contested encounter appeared destined for a stalemate before Lindelwa Mabuza struck at the death to send UJ through. The victory means coach Nthabeleng Modiko’s side will return to the final for the second consecutive year, giving UJ another opportunity to challenge for the title after falling short against UWC in last year’s decider. Meanwhile, University of Pretoria (AmaTuks) secu...

The 2026 Varsity Football Women’s competition delivered a dramatic Round 4 as the semi-finals produced two thrilling contests, with UJ and UP-TUKS emerging victorious to secure their places in this year's final. UJ 1–0 UWC: Lindelwa Mabuza’s moment of magic The first semi-final was a tightly contested battle between University of Johannesburg (UJ) and defending champions University of the Western Cape (UWC). UJ eventually edged the defending champions 1–0, with Lindelwa Mabuza producing a moment of brilliance to decide the contest. Mabuza unleashed a spectacular long-range strike that proved to be the only goal of the match, sending UJ through to the final. Her stunning effort also earned her the SportPesa Goal Rush Award. UJ's defensive resilience was equally important as they held on to protect their narrow advantage and book their place in the championship decider. Sthembile Sandleni was instrumental in UJ's hard-fought victory and was rewarded with the FNB Player of the...

The University of Pretoria (TUKS) heads into the next Hollywoodbets Super League Amplified festival with renewed confidence after securing a landmark 2-0 victory over the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in Polokwane this past weekend.  HWBSL Fixtures Sibusiso Themba The result was a significant milestone for the Tshwane outfit, marking their first-ever league victory over UWC after six previous meetings. It also handed TUKS their second win in three matches this season, lifting them to third place on the Super Era standings with six points. They currently sit one place above fourth-placed Copper Belts on goal difference, with both sides level on points. Tuks' next challenge comes on Friday, 3 July, when they face Limpopo-based Copper Belts at 15h00 in Mpumalanga as the Hollywoodbets Super League Amplified continues at Solomon Mahlangu Stadium. This fixture promises to be another closely contested affair between two in-form teams. Both TUKS and Copper Belts recorded victories d...

In the thrilling race to be crowned the 2024 Hollywoodbets Super League Champions, the University of Pretoria Women's football team finds themselves in an enviable position—tied for first place with Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, each boasting an impressive 18 points.  Image: TUKS Women's Football Club With the stakes high and the competition getting fierce with each game, I had the privilege of sitting down with the captain of TUKS Women’s football squad, Khutso Pila to glean insights into their stellar performance and unwavering spirit. When asked about the team's mindset concerning their deadlock with Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, the captain exuded confidence and said: “ As a Team we are happy to be in the position that we are at, it shows that the things that we are trying to do are working for us. We just need to continue to work hard and take each game as it comes without putting pressure on ourselves.” Image: TUKS Women's Football Club In their first seven games of the ...