Lifting the Lidz at award ceremony

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Mandisa "Junior" Madlala has made history at Lidz Football Club in Kwanokuthula by winning the club's Footballer of the Season award for the fifth year in a row.

Madlala, Lidz captain and a midfielder, together with her teammate striker Aphele Adams, has also "scored" a brace for Lidz, becoming the first two players from the team to be scouted to play in Safa's National League for women.

They will be joining Richmond United Ladies Football Club in De Aar (Northern Cape) in the new season, with a bright future in store for the two of them.

Chris Tyhawana, president of Safa Eden, said his dream was to have a team from the Eden region play in the National League. "There is talent in Bitou," he said when addressing the Lidz awards ceremony held at Sky Villa in Plettenberg Bay of Saturday

3 December. He called on parents to support their children who have chosen to play football. Tyhawana said everyone would be very proud to see "Junior Madlala" play at the world cup, and he thinks it is possible.

He also said it was high time that Bitou Municipality supports football teams in the Bitou area. Lidz was formed in 2017 by Lindiswa Zitshu, and the team's name is an alliteration of her names.

Mandisa 'Junior' Madlala and Lindiswa Zitshu hand Sky Villa MD Paul Duverge a display kit donated to the club at the awards ceremony by Barney Your Chauffeur.

Zithshu said she accompanied Madlala and Adams to the Northern Cape, along with a football scout. She said, while traumatic for the club, the transition for the two young players to Richmond United Ladies was made easy by club officials.

Zithshu thanked the sponsor of the awards function, Sky Villa, for its support. First team coach Sihle Ntsatha said performance of the team is all about dedication. "Take this opportunity and show what you can do," was her advice to Madlala and Adams.

First team coach Sihle Ntsatha (far left) leads her charges in celebrating at Sky Villa on Saturday.