Proteas goal shooter Nomfundo Mngomezulu living her dream

The 20-year-old from Kwa-Zulu Natal played for Johannesburg at the national championships, helping her team end a five-year dominance of Tshwane, and win their first national title. 

The talented shooter is part of the 24 contracted Proteas players and will represent her country in July in the Vitality Netball 2023 World Cup.  

"Even today I still don't believe that it's happening. I am part of the Spar Proteas. It's been a wish, it's been a dream. I didn't know that God will answer my prayers so quickly. 

I'm a girl from rural areas in Mtubatuba in KZN, but things started changing I started playing for Kingdom Queens in 2020, and I think that's when people started recognising me until today. 

They called me for trials, I think in 2021, for Spar Proteas. They were about to play a Quad Series against Malawi. I still couldn't believe it, but I said my time will come. Then in 2022, I think that's where everything started to come so clear”, she told SABC Sport. 

Mngomezulu plays for the Proteas as sponsors come from left, right and centre in the run-up to the World Cup. Mngomezulu receives a monthly salary as part of the 24 contracted players. This week, the Proteas signed a three-year wellness deal with Discovery Health, with each player receiving medical aid and a bank account.

Mngomezulu believes such support will change the future of the sport. 

"It means a lot to us, especially this new generation. All these years they didn't get all this. we are the lucky ones to have all [this]. And it's really changed all our lives"