After not competing in the regional league for one season, Horse Fire Ladies’ FC is returning to OR Tambo Regional Women’s League this year and has already started their preparations.
The return of Horse Fire Ladies to the organised league is good news for Qokolweni Location women, who have been hungry for football.
Horse Fire was established in 2010 by Olwethu Tyopo and has already produced good players who are currently playing at the SASOL League, while one of their team members featured in the u/17 national team, a few years ago.
In addition, in 2016 one of their players, Azile Makhiva, received a sports scholarship and is currently staying in Bloemfontein.
One of the current players, Bukeka Meyane, broke into tears as she explained how they were struggling with no transportation and a lack of soccer boots.
Meyane said they loved sport very much but felt discouraged when they see businesses not supporting them.
The Qokolweni female soccer team consists of 24 players from the surrounding areas of Qokolweni.
The team in 2019 and 2020 did not compete in the league due to the country’s financial crisis and the outbreak of COVID-19 but now they are ‘returning with more fire’.
The current captain of Horse Fire Ladies, Busiswa Matomane (20), who has been part of the team since 2010, said that she was grateful for the support she had received from her family and team and was looking forward to shaping her future through sport.
Another player, Ayandiso Gqamlana, who is in Grade 12 at Qokolweni Senior Secondary School, said her dream was to play for one of a Hollywoodbets Super League team, one day.
The players told Mthatha Express that they were very excited about the promise made by their coach that the team was going to return to the organised women’s league.
