Ntokozo Bhengu confident new signings will strengthen Ezemvelo Ladies ahead of HWBSL season

The club has recruited eight new players, including striker Lucia Gaonwe from Durban Ladies, central midfielder Lerato Magagula from Richmond United, and defender Thobeka Nkosi from Royal AM.

Speaking to SABC Sport, Bhengu says the team now has another opportunity to prove they belong in the country’s topflight women’s football league.

“We have released about six players and recruited eight young players, especially in the offensive positions, including two new goalkeepers. I believe our newest additions will bring valuable experience, as most of them have played topflight football,” said Bhengu.

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The 51-year-old mentor also revealed that a disrupted pre-season and changes within the technical team contributed to the challenges the club faced during their debut campaign.

“We didn’t have a proper pre-season, and there were changes in the technical team. The first season had its ups and downs, especially since I joined during the second round of the season. I can say it was a learning season for the team, particularly with the amount of travelling for players who were not used to it,” added Bhengu.

Bhengu further outlined the key areas the team needs to improve on ahead of the 2026 season, highlighting the importance of being more clinical in front of goal.

“This season the team needs to do better than the previous one. We must be more clinical, especially in front of goal. We created many chances last season, but our scoring rate was not good enough. The more we score and concede less, the better,” he concluded.