Malesela Chokoe hails from Limpopo Province and plays soccer for Vaal University of Technology's national team. He was inspired by Chelsea captain John Terry and hopes to one day play professional soccer. He is known for his leadership skills and versatility on the field. His coach commends his talent, commitment, and passion for the game. Lindiwe Shabangu began playing basketball in primary school and represented South Africa's national teams at the U16 and senior levels. While studying IT at Vaal University of Technology, she has been the anchor of the university's basketball team and a top scorer for South Africa. She is motivated by her brother and hopes basketball in South Africa receives more support.

1. SOCCER STAR AND LEADER
Chokoe, hails from the village of Ga
Matlala in Limpopo Province. He is a
third-year Sports Management student at
Vaal University of Technology and plays
for the University Sports South Africa’s
national football team that participated in
the International University Sport Federation
(FISU) Summer Universiade in Gwanju,
Korea last year.
‘I was raised by my mom. She passed
on 29 December 2015, leaving me to take
care of my two siblings. I’m inspired by
Chelsea captain John Terry, who is a good
leader. I learnedmost things from him and
I would love to play professional football
one day. I was selected for the July 2015
games in Korea. This made me realise that
you need to grab any opportunity with
both hands. When I played against Brazil,
I realised their players weren’t that different
from us but they used every opportunity that
came their way and that’s what set them
apart from the rest of us.’ Phure Chochi,
his cousin and teammate, says: ‘We grew
up together in Ga Matlala. Malesela is a
dedicated young man; very ambitious and,
above all, a talented and true leader in
soccer. He sees himself playing professional
football. He also puts the needs of others
before his own and is eager to learn. These
are some of the characteristics that set
him apart.
‘He is known as Jomo, a natural
defender. I admire his versatility. He can
play as a striker or a midfielder. I commend
him on incorporating education in his life;
that decision will benefit him because a
career in football is limited, but education
is infinite.’His former VUT football coach,
Goma-Goma said: ‘I have been a
Malesela’s coach for three years. I could
not believe the kind of talent that boy
possesses. It convinced me to make him
Writers: Qhawekazi Memani & Selina Rapulane
my captain, even though he had played
just three games. He plays his heart out
and leads by example. When it comes to
training he’s always in front whether it’s
intensive or not, he is leading the pack.
We achieved a lot as a team under his
captaincy such as winning the USSA
championship, promotion to ABC Motsepe
and also qualifying for Varsity Cup football.
I hold him in high esteem as a player and
a brother. I will miss him when he plays,
especially in action, as his commitment is
out of this world. He is passionate and very
talented and I wish him all the best in his
future endeavours.’
CHOKOE
SHABANGU
MALESELA
LINDIWE
BASKETBALL PLAYER SCORES HIGH
VUT student and basketball national
team player, Lindiwe Shabangu, began
her sporting career on the Mamelodi
East streets where she comes from. She
played for South Africa at U16 level and
represented South Africa’s senior team at
the AfroBasket Women’s tournament in
Cameroon in 2015.
Her coach, Zanele Ngwenya, said
that despite being in the senior national
team for the first time, she was one of
the highest scorers for South Africa in
Cameroon. The other African nations are
also of a much taller average height in the
post position where she plays, making her
role more challenging. In the tournament
she averaged 6.4 points per game, 3.6
rebounds per game, with a field goal
percentage above 30% and a freethrow
percentage of 67%.
‘Lindiwe was the main contributor to VUT
winning the USSA Championship in 2015.
She is currently the anchor of the VUT team
and the South African national team. She is
humble person and helps others,’ he said.
‘I started playing in primary school for
the U13s and when I came here in 2014
to study towards my IT diploma, I joined
RUNNING HELPED FORMER
STUDENT’S STUDIES
Thirty-year-old Xolisane Zamkele is
a former VUT student and athlete who
helped put the University on the map when
he brought home a gold medal from the
World Student Games in Russia in 2013.
Xolisane grew up in the Eastern Cape and
attended Umsinizwene Junior Secondary
and Mayibenye Senior Secondary School.
He is from a family of seven and is the
first person in his family to hold a tertiary
qualification. He graduated in 2015 and
holds a diploma in Sports Management.
‘I wouldn’t have been able to be where I
am today if it wasn’t for coach Diale, who
is the national coach and a staff member
in the Sports Department at VUT. I had
financial struggles and he helped me,’ he
said. He continued to say that being an
athlete played a huge role in his studies
as his mind was always refreshed and his
body energetic.
EVERY TOURNAMENT IS AN UPSKILL
Nomsa Mabuza, 24, is currently in
the senior national softball team. She is a
third-year student at VUT studying Safety
Management who was born and bred in
Limpopo, in a place called Lebowakgomo.
She attended Little Bedfordview Primary
School and Ngwanamohube High School
in the same province before moving to
Gauteng in 2013. Believing this would be
the place to realise her goals, she registered
at VUT. She had always loved softball and
VUT has given her a platform to showcase
her talent and skills. She was part of the
VUT softball team. In 2014 she took part
in the USSA games in Durban and won a
gold medal. In 2015 she participated in
the VUT tournament in aid of women with
breast cancer, and won a silver medal.
She was also awarded best player. She
travelled to Argentina and Venezuela, for
the World Cup. Though she didn’t bring
any medals home, she was inspired for
life. She gained more experience to upskill
herself and to share with her teammates.
‘I believe everything that happens in life
is to broaden our knowledge and better
our vision towards it. Whether good or
bad, our skill is upgraded to a certain level,’
she says. This year Mabuza would like to
be selected for the national team tour to
Canada in June and is determined to work
hard towards this goal.
the VUT basketball team. In September
2014 I participated in the provincial games
held at Turffontein, which qualified me to
participate in the Afro Basketball qualifiers
held in Cameroon. The games were hard
as we were playing against big African
ladies, but I gave it my best,’ said Lindiwe.
She says that her brother, Thulani
Shabangu, is her biggest inspiration. She
started basketball because of him and Neo
Muthiba, who is the captain of Tshwane
Suns and plays in the senior national
basketball team. ‘He gave me a new pair
of playing sneakers as the pair I was using
at the time were really uncomfortable. I
was motivated by Neo’s generosity.’ She
concluded that her main focus is her IT
diploma but she will continue her basketball
career. Her greatest wish is that basketball
in South Africa would be as well supported
as other sporting codes.
Xolisane looks up to South African
long-distance runner, Steven Mokoka. ‘He’s
a one-of-a-kind athlete. He learns from his
mistakes, and improves himself.’ Xolisane
is currently unemployed and hopes to find
employment soon so that he is able to care
for his family and better his life. His aims
to get into the cross country games and
represents SA next year and he is in training
to make these dreams a reality.
NOMSA
MABUZA
XOLISANE
ZAMKELE