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Banyana Banyana and Mamelodi Sundowns veteran defender Bambanani “Juice” Mbane has always prided herself as ”uNolali” (a person from rural areas) who is driven by the desire to change the status quo.
In South Africa, in particular, people who hail from rural areas are seen as more disadvantaged than those from townships and big cities, but Mbane pointed to her influence on one of the signings to the newly assembled Kaizer Chiefs Ladies team, Katlego Mohale, as part of her journey.
"For example, there's a girl who plays in the national team U20's, her name is Katlego, and she is at Kaizer Chiefs Ladies. I met her while I was playing in Belarus and I saw her on social media saying that Bambanani is her role model. I had to travel from Bloemfontein to Johannesburg to get her the boots, and when I gave them to her, I told her that one day I want to see her playing for one of the big teams or in the national team. When I see her now, I'm filled with joy."
Mbane, who will celebrate a century of matches at the international level with Banyana Banyana in the two international friendlies against Algeria in Durban, says football has done a lot for her and her family.
When she started at Bloemfontein Celtic Ladies, there was no money in women’s football, even at Banyana Banyana, but now reflecting, Mbane, who hails from Sterkspruit in the Eastern Cape, is grateful for what the game has done for her...
"Honestly, football back then was not paying at all. As time went by, you had to go overseas in order to get paid, but now things are not the same anymore.
"It depends on what you want, and what your background looks like. Remember, we don't come from similar households. I can't compare myself with Hildah Magaia because I don't know what kind of household she comes from."
Mbane is one of the players in the current Banyana Banyana squad who can pride herself on having endorsement deals with major global companies like Puma, something that was previously only associated with male footballers.
She says her stints in Europe and Sundowns changed her total outlook on the game...
Mbane is also grateful to Celtic Ladies, her first women’s football team, where she played for 10 years before moving to Belarus, where she also played in the European Women’s Champions League.
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