Kgaphamadi Secondary School captain Puseletso Mahlangu says her team has been working twice as hard this year in the hope of walking away with the gold medal at the DSTV Schools Netball Challenge (DSNC), powered by Bestmed Medical Scheme national finals.
The DSNC is a partnership between MultiChoice and South African Schools Netball, launched in 2021 with the aim of unearthing future Spar Proteas stars while also creating a competition that will give rise to new school rivalries, ensuring that all schools, urban and rural, get to experience the sport at the same level.
The competition is divided into two streams, Botho and Ubuntu, which offer an opportunity for the haves and have-nots to go to the top of the competition. Over the years, the tournament has also been a fertile hunting ground for scouts in universities and national teams to find talent.
The 2025 national bronze medallists have qualified for their sixth appearance at the DSNC nationals set for 23 to 25 July at Hoërskool Dr E.G. Jansen in Boksburg. Fumane Secondary School will also represent the North West in the Ubuntu division at this year’s nationals, while Hoërskool Potchefstroom Gimnasium, Hoërskool Rustenburg and Hoër Volkskool Potchefstroom will feature in the Botho stream.
Mahlangu says the school has been yearning to go top of the podium for some time.
“I am happy that we have qualified for the finals. We were a bit nervous at first because we knew that we will have some tough matches but we knew that we would make it. We practise two times a day almost every day. We have one session in the morning and another after school but we try to balance it well with our schoolwork. We want to win at the national finals because we know that netball can change our lives and take us to places we want to get to,” said Mahlangu.
Convenor of Coaches for North West Schools Netball Marize Moolman says she is happy with the level of competition in the province. She says she is hopeful that a school from the province will finish on the podium this year after Potchefstroom Gimnasium won the inaugural edition in 2021.
“As a province we are excited about the teams that are going through. I think it was a very good and tough competition. There were schools that surprised us, but we are happy about the participation and development that we have seen since the leagues and district playoffs. I think the schools work so hard and to go to the nationals and beat, for instance a Western Cape or Gauteng school would be good for us, to put us on the map again because we work so hard,” said Moolman.
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS
North West
Ubuntu
Fumane Secondary School, Kgaphamadi Secondary School
Botho
Hoërskool Rustenburg, Hoër Volkskool Potchefstroom, Hoërskool Potchefstroom Gimnasium
Limpopo
Ubuntu
Sebakanaga Secondary School, Makgofe Secondary School
Botho
Tom Naude Technical Secondary School Hoërskool Pietersburg
KwaZulu-Natal
Ubuntu
Zinqobele Secondary School
Botho
Danville Park Girls' High School, Shayamoya Area Secondary