Entabeni Sports Ground in Zola rang with music and cheers as pensioners took centre stage in a football tournament celebrating fitness, friendship and the joy of playing.
Among them was 69-year-old Sibongile Nkosi, captain of the Golden Oldies. She first arrived at the stadium in 2015, accompanying her mother to what she thought would be an aerobics class. Instead, she discovered a group of older women showcasing their football skills.
“I didn’t like football at the time,” Nkosi said. But impressed by the players’ commitment, she joined in. “I didn’t know what I was doing. I was just kicking.”
Her family initially believed she should stay at home and enjoy her pension, but her persistence changed their minds.
“I can touch my toes and my calves, which is difficult for other grannies. I am not the granny who asks the children to bring her the remote,” she said.
The oldest player on the field was 72-year-old Gogo MaNkosi, also of the Golden Oldies. She describes football as a blessing from God, having grown up when women’s teams were not available.
When she first tried to join, she was warned that she might have diabetes. She says football has since transformed her health.
“Playing football has helped me a lot. I had diabetes, but now I no longer have it. It has also helped me with my stamina. I don’t get tired easily and my body is always flexible,” she said.
Retirement, she added, would only come when she could no longer walk without a stick.
For 63-year-old Nakie Masenya of Mamelodi Sundowns Gogos, football offers an escape from daily worries. She loved the sport at school, although it was considered a men’s game, and later concentrated on work after taking part in athletics.
Following her retirement, she joined women who walked and exercised at Muckleneuk Stadium in Mamelodi West. The group became a football team eight months ago, with Sundowns legend Jones Adams agreeing to coach them.
“When we are on the field, we are the happiest. We forget all our problems,” Masenya said. “If we practice and don’t play, we don’t feel well.”
Her husband, a Sundowns supporter, is her biggest backer. She refuses to let fear or negative thoughts prevent her from playing, saying injuries can happen anywhere, including at home.
Dobsie Grannies goalkeeper Busisiwe Sibiya, 64, has loved football since childhood but played netball instead because there were few opportunities for women. She says football has improved her fitness, stamina, circulation and mental sharpness.
Her team won the league last year and hopes to retain the title. Sibiya also dreams of sponsors helping the players travel overseas to compete in international leagues.
“Some of us have never been on a flight so we would really appreciate that,” she said, adding that the team needed kits, training equipment and transport.
Busisiwe Nkwanyana supplies the ululation and supports all of Soweto’s soccer grannies. She believes sport helps older women remain active and form friendships.
Diski Gogos founder and director Babalwa Nhlapo created the platform after being inspired by her mother’s football team.
“I wanted to give them a platform to showcase their talent so we can celebrate them,” she said.
Some players told Nhlapo they needed fewer health pills, while others had found companionship. “When people get older, we isolate them. The more they come here, the more they build friendships. They have something to look forward to.”
For the gogos, the tournament was about more than a trophy: it was a celebration of ability, friendship, health and the freedom to keep playing.
