Johannesburg — Chiefs want to run a tight ship when they finally launch a women’s team, hence it was important to renew their partnership with Medshield medical scheme.
Arguably the most successful and followed club in South Africa, Chiefs have been criticised for not investing in the fast-growing space of women’s football by not forming a women’s team.
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So much so that Jessica Motaung’s appointment by CAF as a member of the Organising Committee for Women's Football Standing Committee last year was met with bemusement.
In her defence, though, the Amakhosi marketing and commercial director said plans were already afoot to form the team which would compete in the national, semi-professional Super League.
If that happens they would become the fifth PSL club to have a women’s team alongside Mamelodi Sundowns, Royal AM, TS Galaxy and the University of Pretoria.
But almost a year later Chiefs are yet to form the team, with Motaung saying plans to buy an already existing franchise hit a snag a few months ago.
“We were close to finalising it and taking it forward. We still are very much in the works, and we’ll make an announcement when we are ready,” Motaung said.
Amid announcing the renewal of their partnership with Medshield for a further three-year term after a six-year partnership, Motaung said their bid received a major boost.
“I am not going to reveal the figures, but I can say that it’s a good partnership,” she said.
“This partnership is very important in our expansion ... in expanding into the women’s game. We can only do that if we have corporate partnerships and partners who are willing to invest.”
Having more corporates associated with the club will help the management ensure that they give the women’s team almost a similar treatment to the men’s.
Already, there have been growing calls from the public for the Super League to be professionalised, while Banyana Banyana players should receive equal pay as their male counterparts.
“It’s a priority of ours. But one wants to do it properly. We would have liked to announce something earlier ... (but) we want to make sure women are treated well,” Motaung said.
“And that’s going to happen with resources, salaries, and those kinds of things. So, we need to do it properly. But certainly it is something that we are very passionate about.”
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CAF has also sent out a directive to all 54-member countries that clubs who want to compete in their inter-club continental competitions in the near future are compelled to establish women’s teams urgently.
And with Chiefs in the running to compete in the Champions League or Confederation Cup next season, Motaung knows what’s at stake.
“The pressure is coming from CAF and all of those,” Motaung said. “But we want to make sure that our investment in the game is authentic and we are really going to allow young women to realise their potential.”
IOL Sport