Mami Diale excited to lead Netball South Africa as new president

Diale was first choice over Nompumelelo Vavu of Buffalo City and Annelie Lucas representing Cape Winelands, having received 69 votes out of a total of 116 from the NSA Council members during their 2025 Quadrennial Meeting in Johannesburg on Saturday.  

Speaking to SABC Sport, Diale, who has served as a netball administrator for over 20 years, says, along with the new executive, she is looking to restore the dignity of the sport and help propel it forward.

"I think my work speaks for itself, nothing else. I'm one of the administrators that made netball be where it is, in terms of programmes, structures, policies, transformation, and everything," said Diale.

"I was part of the building of netball, and my aim is to take netball forward and move together with the people – those who voted for me, and those that did not.

"Together, we move forward for netball. Let us call to rebuild the structure and culture of netball."

READ: Molokwane: Silence was to protect the dignity of the sport

The new NSA executive includes Khosi Dlamini (vice-president), Lana Krige (Director: Selections), Dumisani Chauke (Director: Coaches), Magriet Bester (Director: Umpires) and Claudine Classen (Director: Demarcations and Structure).

Diale says the mandate for the new leadership is to maintain good relationships with stakeholders and keep the players on court.

"We need a league for the ladies – we are calling out to say to sponsors, come through and see how we can support the leagues, those are two key things," she added.

"The cream of the crop of Netball South Africa, which is your U19, U21, and senior squads, need to be put together in a pool and then create a programme just to sustain them.

"Because if you look at Netball South Africa now, October and November are dead months, but that's the time we can utilise to do a short league for them instead of a training camp, and it will make them compete with one another."