Former Banyana captain Amanda Dlamini ready to effect change at Safa

Former Banyana Banyana midfielder and captain Amanda “Toki” Dlamini knows a lot about getting down to business in the middle of the park, but her new job at Safa House may prove to be her most challenging opponent.

Dlamini, who retired from Banyana in 2018, was recently appointed as the new senior commercial and marketing manager at the SA Football Association (Safa) to work closely with COO Lydia Monyepao.

When she decided to venture into the tricky territory of football management, Dlamini joined former Banyana players like Desiree Ellis, Jabulile Baloyi, Simphiwe Dludlu, Monyepao and Sheryl Botes who are all employed by Safa.

“I am very excited about this opportunity that I have been afforded at Safa and I am not naive to think that there are not going to be challenges along the way,” said Dlamini who is a changemaker for Nedbank’s YouthX Sports and Wellness programme where the youth get financial education and other life skills.

“I didn’t think I would go back to the association and work there because I probably didn’t know how one will adjust. I am open to the challenge and I appreciate the mere fact that the president (Danny Jordaan) and the CEO (Tebogo Motlanthe) have shown their faith in me. So, I welcome the opportunity.”

Dlamini, who played for Banyana at the Rio Olympic Games and has 105 caps to her name, works closely with Monyepao at Safa House and she is already learning a lot from her former manager at the national team.

“Lydia was our manager in the national team while I was still playing and we already have that good relationship and understanding. Working under her guidance, I am going to learn as much as I can and I can tell you that already she is pushing me so that I am able to adapt to my new environment and have more participation.”

As time goes by and she has settled in, Dlamini, who studied logistics at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), would want to use her position to empower other women in football and sport to get leadership opportunities.

“We always advocate for structures to empower more women, and former players as well, because empowerment is everything for us in the association. The more female representatives you can have, the better and I think they can strengthen the organisation.”

Safa have  not had a female president and Dlamini would like to see that happen in future.

“For sure, I would love to see a woman president at Safa. We’ve got the ability, we have good women leaders around, but I don’t know how long it will take. Women’s football has so many powerful women in administration structures and in technical structures.

“We have so many powerful women and I think having leaders like Sis Lydia (Monyepao) in the structures to say we do have a female voice present. I think it will be great for us to work towards a common goal and it is visible, it can’t be ignored and attract the right people to grow the sport.”

Asked if she has ambitions of becoming Safa president in the future, the answer was clear and simple.

 “At the moment no, not at all.”