By OBAKENG MAJE 

South Africa dominated the inaugural COSAFA Awards held at the Sandton Convention Centre on Thursday night with local coaches and players taking centre stage. It was a fantastic night for South African football and Banyana Banyana coach, Desiree Ellis, led the way when she won the Women’s Coach of the Year Award. 

Ellis saw off competition from Zambia’s Bruce Mwape and Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies’ Jerry Tshabalala to win the award.

“When I was the captain of Banyana Banyana, we won our first ever trophy at the COSAFA Cup in Zimbabwe. And 15 years later as the coach of Banyana Banyana, we won it again in Zimbabwe. My journey started then, but there are so many people that I have to thank. 

“We thank the South African Football Association (SAFA) for being visionaries, for taking the chance on us female coaches, not just myself, but also our youth teams. To the Banyana Banyana players, I thank you and it’s an attitude of gratitude for everything that you’ve done because I am because you are,” she said. 

Ellis further said they are the ones that go onto the field and make them look good. She added that, to the coaches that have come before, that have laid the platform, to the players that have come before and to her fellow nominees, Bruce Mwape has done fantastically for Zambia and congratulations to them for qualifying for the Olympics. 

“To coach Jerry Shabalala, he’s shown on the continent and at club level there’s no one other than him,” said Ellis. 

Bafana Bafana forward, Percy Tau walked away with the Men’s Player of the Year, Ronwen Williams was named Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year, Andile Dlamini won Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year, Thapelo Maseko won Men’s Most Promising Player and Mamelodi Sundowns mentor, Rulani Mokwena, took home the Men’s Coach of the Year.

The Egypt-based Tau was not present at the awards and SAFA president, Dr Danny Jordaan accepted his accolade on his behalf. Jordaan said the COSAFA region has made great strides in the last few years.

“COSAFA has made the most progress last year, which culminated in the recent AFCON, where COSAFA had five representatives. Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and South Africa, represented our region and made sure that we contributed to the overall success of the African Cup of Nations. 

“When people say that this was the best African Cup of Nations ever, COSAFA and its teams contributed to both the success, the commercial viability and the enjoyment of the tournament. We want to say congratulations to those who were there to share that moment with us,” he said.

Jordaan said in women’s football, the current African champion comes from COSAFA. South Africa, Zambia and Botswana represented COSAFA in the last African Cup of Nations. He said South Africa and Zambia qualified for the 2023 FIFA World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and made progress to the last group of 16. 

“In our own region, our men’s competition, the COSAFA Cup, Zambia finished top with 19 appearances. Zimbabwe at 12, South Africa 10, Mozambique 8 and Angola 7. Angola also has made it to the final of the recent FUTSAL tournament, and we want to congratulate them for making it to the final and finishing second in that tournament.

“In the COSAFA Women’s Championship, the Malawi senior women’s team are the current champions. Malawi has competed in every single women’s championship 10 times, tied with Zimbabwe and South Africa and then Botswana and Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Mozambique,” said Jordaan.

He said this showed COSAFA’s balanced approach not only on men’s football, but also in the pursuit and the development of women’s football. Jordaan said, so let them celebrate the achievement together.

Meanwhile, the SAFA Referees Committee Chairperson, Victor Gomes, was named COSAFA Referee Legend, former Banyana Banyana defender Janine van Wyk received a Lifetime Achievement for services as a player. 

Fran Hilton-Smith was awarded a Lifetime Achievement in services to women’s football and veteran journalist, Mark Gleeson was recognised with a Lifetime Achievement in services to the media.

FULL LIST OF COSAFA AWARD WINNERS

MEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Percy Tau (South Africa)

WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Racheal Kundananji (Zambia)

MEN’S COACH OF THE YEAR

Rulani Mokwena (Mamelodi Sundowns)

WOMEN’S COACH OF THE YEAR

Dr Desiree Ellis (South Africa)

MEN’S GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR

Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns & South Africa)

WOMEN’S GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR

Andile Dlamini (Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies & South Africa)

MEN’S MOST PROMISING PLAYER

Thapelo Maseko (Mamelodi Sundowns & South Africa)

WOMEN’S MOST PROMISING PLAYER

Leticia Chinyamula (Ascent Academy & Malawi)

COSAFA BEST MALE REFEREE

Jerson Dos Santos (Angola)

COSAFA BEST FEMALE REFEREE

Diana Chikotesha (Zambia)

COSAFA MOST PROMISING REFEREE

Tsiaro Randriambololoma (Madagascar)

COSAFA REFEREE LEGEND

Victor Gomes (South Africa)

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT FOR SERVICES AS A PLAYER

Janine van Wyk

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN SERVICES TO REFEREEING

Felix Tangawarima

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN SERVICES TO WOMEN’S FOOTBALL

Fran Hilton-Smith

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN SERVICES TO COACHING

Sunday Chidzambwa

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN SERVICES TO THE MEDIA

Mark Gleeson

taungdailynews@gmail.com