The South African Football Journalists Association have announced that Bambanani Mbane is their 2021 Women’s Footballer of the Year.
The Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies’ player follows in the footsteps of teammate Rhoda Mulaudzi, who won the award in 2020.
The 31-year-old defender had been nominated alongside Sundowns’ teammates Melinda Kgadiete and Chuene Morifi and JVW’s Mpumi Nyandeni and UWC’s Sibulele Holweni.
Mbane had an excellent year, helping Sundowns win the Hollywoodbets Super League and the inaugural CAF Women’s Champions League, as well as the regional COSAFA championship. She also starred for Banyana Banyana.
It was a clean sweep of awards for Sundowns again, as last week SAFJA also announced that Peter Shalulile had won the men’s award, after Themba Zwane had previously won it.
