Crinums, Fireballs and Jaguars shine

Day six of the Telkom Netball League (TNL) brought an exhilarating day of competition featuring a thrilling lineup of matches played between the Sun City Super Bowl and Sun Park.

The Crinums delivered a commanding performance against the Flames, winning 68-45. The team's dominance was evident throughout the game, with the Flames struggling to keep up. The Crinums' attack was relentless, with 80 attempts compared to the Flames' 53.

The Crinums' defence was solid, forcing three held balls and eight interceptions. This strong defensive display was a key factor in their victory. Coach Martha Mosoahle-Samm expressed her pride in her team, saying, "I'm very proud of the girls, it was a big win for us, we needed it." She also highlighted the importance of giving other players opportunities, allowing them to feel the pressure of playing against a big team.

The Flames seemed to lose momentum after the first quarter, allowing the Crinums to take control of the game. Coach Elsunet du Plessis acknowledged that her team was inconsistent but saw positive aspects of their performance. She said, "I think we were too inconsistent ... but still there were passages of play that were very good and we can build on that." She emphasised the need for her team to refocus and come back stronger.

The Fireballs emerged victorious in their match against the Aloes, winning 47-40. The match saw a closely contested battle between the two teams, with the Aloes leading 11-10 in the first quarter and 23-22 in the second quarter. The third quarter ended in a 32-32 draw, before the Fireballs pulled ahead to secure the win.

The Aloes showed promise and confidence in their performance, despite not securing the win. Coach Milisa Mnganu-Domm praised her team's potential, saying, "The exposure for our girls is very important because there's nothing that beats game time and experience ... The girls have shown that they got potential which we have always known." She added, "It could've been a better performance, I think it just shows that don't put the underdog away."

Fireballs coach Dr Elsje Jordaan expressed relief and satisfaction with the win, saying, "Well done to the Aloes, I thought they really pitched up ... I am happy and relieved with the win, two points is two points and it is really important to keep winning.” The Fireballs' consistency and determination were key factors in their success and they will look to build on this momentum in their next match.

The Jaguars had a fantastic day on the court, dominating two matches. They delivered a strong performance, outclassing the Baobabs 65-38. The team's early dominance set the tone for the rest of the game, with the Jaguars' efficiency evident in their statistics. The Jaguars took advantage of every opportunity with 11 interceptions, superior Supershot attempts and favourable circle feeds.

Standout player performances included Ine-Marì Venter’s phenomenal game, with 49 attempts and solid defensive plays from Jamie Williamson, Zané Bodenstein and Lungile Mthembu. However, the team faced some setbacks, with Janie van Wyk being temporarily replaced due to concussion protocol and replaced by Jamie Williamson, while Alice Kenon also sustained an injury.

Earlier in the day, the Jaguars secured a 56-49 win over the Zambezi Eagles, showcasing their skills and teamwork. Coach Rozanne Matthyse of the Jaguars said, "I think that was a good start for us ... Now we have to start working on finishing strong. A lot of our players are coachable and that's important. They know what they want from this competition and they are always focused on our process."

Baobabs coach Emily Mathosa reflected on her team's struggles, saying, "We did not start well, I think that's why the score went up. If we had maintained our own centre passes, the score would never be like this ... I am actually happy that we were able to improve in the second and third quarters." Despite the challenges, coach Mathosa hopes her team will bounce back in upcoming matches.

The Telkom Netball League is heating up, with exciting matches and impressive team performances. You can catch the action live on SuperSport Variety 4 channel 209 or check out the Netball South Africa website for fixtures and updates.

Tickets are available on the Netball South Africa (NSA) website here at just R100.

Meanwhile, Netball South Africa has reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability and athlete-centred leadership with the following statement.

The President’s Precautionary Suspension by World Netball

Netball South Africa (NSA) acknowledges the public discourse currently circulating in media reports and on social media. We remain fully committed to upholding the principles and values of corporate governance, including accountability, transparency, institutional integrity and the prioritisation of athlete welfare above all else.

Netball South Africa confirms that World Netball, the international governing body, has instituted a disciplinary process involving the President of NSA and placed her under precautionary suspension. In accordance with the instructions received from World Netball, NSA has been directed not to interfere in this process.

World Netball has clarified that the investigation into the allegations is being conducted in accordance with its Disciplinary Regulations. It has confirmed that all actions taken thus far align with its published policies, including the jurisdiction outlined in Clause 4.1 of the World Netball Disciplinary Regulations.

Additionally, World Netball emphasised that this is a procedural, rather than punitive step, intended solely to determine whether there is a case to answer.

Netball South Africa respects all applicable governance frameworks and is fully cooperating with World Netball in the interest of due process and lawful resolution. The situation in which we find ourselves is difficult for all concerned, however for the good of our sport we must ensure that any allegations put to us are addressed with complete integrity and respect for the individuals involved.

Clarification on Parliamentary Engagement and Financial Oversight

During a recent Parliamentary session, questions were raised, including specific line-item expenditures from NSA’s past financial records. In keeping with Parliamentary House Rules, Netball South Africa’s leadership (CEO) requested time to consult the appropriate records to ensure the accuracy of our responses.

It is not only within our rights but also our responsibility to ensure that the information submitted to Parliament is factually correct and verifiable. Despite this, NSA leadership was unfairly pressured to respond immediately to detailed financial queries, specific to the 2023/24 Financial Year. Such expectations are inconsistent with standard Parliamentary practice and risk undermining the integrity of governance processes. In terms of the Parliamentary rules regarding oral questioning, NSA is within its rights.

The manner in which these questions were posed raises serious concerns. Safeguarding is a fundamental policy in sport and must never be taken lightly.

However, the interrogative approach directed at our leadership risks undermining the very principles this policy seeks to uphold. While we acknowledge that gender should not exempt anyone from accountability, it equally must not render us vulnerable to politically motivated targeting.

The Portfolio Committee has seen six Federations (Boxing SA, SANABO, Basketball SA, Athletics SA, Swimming SA) but none of them has trending videos on social media platforms published by a member of Parliament for public humiliation. Is this because NSA is a women led federation?

We confirm that a detailed written response addressing all financial queries is currently being consolidated and will be submitted to Parliament in line with proper procedure.

Clarifying the 2023 Netball World Cup Financials

It is critical to clarify that the Netball World Cup 2023 was overseen by a separate and independent World Cup Board, registered under CIPC, with its own Directors and funded by government amongst others; distinct from the current board and leadership of Netball South Africa – noting that the President of Netball South Africa and the former CEO were part of the 2023 NWC Board. The concerns and financial reports around the 2023 Netball World Cup, should be accounted for by the 2023 NWC Board. Those two entities need to be separated.

Netball South Africa has not, and is not, obstructing access to the financial records of the 2023 Netball World Cup. We are actively working in coordination with all relevant stakeholders to ensure full transparency and accountability in this matter.

Administration and Financial Partners

Netball South Africa is one of 76 national sporting federations in South Africa and remains the only majority-female sport among them. Despite this, the federation receives (6% of the total funding in the financial year 2023/24) and (3% of its total funding in the financial year 2024/25) of its annual funding from government.

The vast majority of our financial resources are secured independently through partnerships, sponsorships and fundraising efforts – directly benefiting our athletes and the sport.

All sponsors get detailed reports in line with sponsorship contracts of their value for money or return in investment.

Netball South Africa is a registered Non-Profit Organisation, compliant with the provisions of the Companies Act (NPC Articles), the Kings IV Code, the NSA Constitution and By-Laws, and also with government (DSAC) and SASCOC.

Despite financial constraints, Netball South Africa has successfully hosted and managed national tournaments, sustained grassroots development programmes and earned international recognition for its athletes.

Out of the 76 Federations, Netball South Africa is one of the three compliant federations to the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. Our Annual Reports are transparent and shows the milestones achieved.

Netball South Africa reiterates its full cooperation with all oversight and regulatory bodies and remains committed to ensuring that all financial records and governance processes are fully accounted for and lawfully handled.

We remain focused on responsible leadership, sound governance, and protecting the future of netball in South Africa. Political theatrics and misinformation will not distract us from our purpose: growing the game, supporting our athletes and nurturing talent, and importantly, keeping Netball alive.

Results

Sunbirds 60-27 Lillies

Stings 63-40 SPAR Baby Proteas

Jaguars 56-49 Zambezi Eagles

Tornados 60-42 Sonoblomo

Diamonds 32-39 Comets

Flames 45-68 Crinums

Aloes 40-47 Fireballs

KS Stars 45-41 Tshukudu

Stings 57-61 Zambezi Eagles

Jaguars 65-38 Baobabs

Friday's fixtures

7am Sonoblomo v Diamonds

9am Lillies v KD Queens

11pm Aloes v Baobabs

1pm Tornados v Tshukudu

3pm SPAR Baby Proteas v Flames

5pm Sunbirds v KD Stars

7pm Jaguars v Fireballs