The Spar Proteas have ended their international calendar on a whimper. South Africa wrapped the season with a silver medal at the Vitality Nations Cup in London.
🏴🆚🇿🇦
— Netball South Africa (@Netball_SA) February 9, 2025
💚 𝗙𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗧𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗘𝗡𝗗! 💚
The SPAR Proteas gave it everything in a battle full of heart, grit, and determination. 🇿🇦 Though the final result didn’t go our way, they have made SA incredibly proud! 💪#SPARProteas #WeAreAllIn #NetballNationsCup2025 pic.twitter.com/LBfu2KxrTO
The Jenny van Dyk-led side won all their games against Uganda, Malawi, and against hosts in the round robin only to fall on the last hurdle in the final and lose to England with a 61-55 score. Uganda defeated Malawi 50-45 to walk away with the bronze medal.
Finishing on the podium is South Africa’s big comeback after a disappointing 3-0 defeat at the Margaret Beckford Sunshine Series in Jamaica in January. The Proteas began their international window with an excellent 3-0 victory over Malawi in the Spar Challenge Series in November which was followed by a clinical performance at the Netball Africa Cup in Namibia.
🏴🆚🇿🇦
— Netball South Africa (@Netball_SA) February 9, 2025
𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 🏆
HALF TIME
🥊 Both teams battling hard! England level up and edge ahead by 2-goals—everything to play for in the second half! 🔥
ENGLAND 30
SOUTH AFRICA 28#SPARProteas #WeAreAllIn #NetballNationsCup2025
📸 Ben Lumley pic.twitter.com/9K4JjOoQqe
The coaching pair, van Dyk and her assistant Zanele Mdodana made a clean sweep to win the continental title again, after missing out on the competition in the 2023 edition to focus on the Netball World Cup.
The Proteas also saw two players earning their first senior caps, Sanmarie Visser and Syntiche Kabuya. Visser, who replaced veteran goal defender and vice-captain, Karla Pretorius for the overseas tours, fitted in the defence team like a fish takes to water. While Kabuya who replaced an injured Nicola Smith is still finding her feet in the team.
Goal attack, Kamogelo Maseko was one of the stand-out players this season, earning a couple of Player of the Match accolades in the process. The Gauteng Jaguars player is highly critical of her performances this season. Even with some impressive showing, Maseko believes there is still room for growth.
“Honestly, it wasn’t the best of games but I think my performance was consistent. I was able to learn at an accelerated rate and experience so much growth in my character as a human being outside of being a netball player. I had a good international season, I can’t really complain much because I learnt a lot of valuable lessons.
The Fast5 (World Series 2024) was the first time I played in the tournament and I think it was a learning curve for me. I learnt and experienced so much about the Fast5, there was so much growth for me and the possibility of opening up to learning new things. I think getting the injury at the Africa Cup was also a learning curve that helped me build my mental resilience,” explains Maseko.
Although the Proteas didn’t take the title, the shooter is happy with what the team produced at the Nations Cup.
“As a team, we are very pleased with what we have produced but it is not about how you start, it is about how you end. Winning the competition would have helped set the standard for ourselves, knowing that England is ranked above us. I think this competition will help us get closer to our dreams and goals as a team. It ultimately helps with rankings, the points system, for us it is about consistency,” she says.
Throughout the season Maseko has played with different shooters in the circle, she says it hasn’t been hard adjusting to each style of play.
“I consider myself as a player that is easily adaptable. I adapt and gel well with all of the shooters. I wouldn’t say I have a preference, Elmere (van der Berg) is a strong holding shooter and I know I can adapt to that. Playing with Rolene (Streutker) where I know what she can give me and what I can give her, playing with Ine-Marí (Venter), Sammy (Owethu Ngubane) I gel with all of them. I can’t say I have a preference. I enjoy playing with all of them,” she explains.
After missing out on the Netball World Cup, Maseko reckons she has been able to improve in different aspects of her game.
“There has been so much growth. It is crazy when I look back, I have played so many international matches. I have gotten a lot of test caps in the duration of the two years, and I have had to learn at a quick rate to get the desirable results out of my performances. I have grown so much as a person and netball player,” she says.
Maseko is hopeful that her recent performances have been enough to draw the eyes of scouts from around the globe. The sports science student had previously spoken about focusing on completing her qualification from the University of Pretoria, she is however now open to moving overseas.
“If the opportunity comes, it’s best that it finds me ready. I am not putting myself under pressure but if the opportunity arises I am definitely ready for it. It is not in the back of my mind or something that I am putting myself under pressure with but if the opportunity arises, I will grab it with both hands,” she says.