WATCH | Banyana star Kgatlana on playing at World Cup after losing three family members

Banyana Banyana striker Thembi Kgatlana has spoken about the hardship she went through when she lost three relatives as she was preparing to represent the country in the Fifa Women's World Cup that ends in Sydney on Sunday.

Kgatlana, who plays for Racing Louisville in the US, was speaking at a media breakfast hosted by sports minister Zizi Kodwa, at which Banyana and the Netball Proteas were celebrated. The latter finished sixth in their World Cup in Cape Town this month.

Banyana made history in Australia and New Zealand when they became the first South African senior football side to qualify for the last 16 of a World Cup after their dramatic 3-2 win over Italy in their third and final group G match.

They lost 2-0 against the Netherlands in the last 16.

Kgatlana, making her second appearance at the World Cup after playing in 2019 in France, scored the last-gasp winner against Italy, her second goal of the 2023 tournament. 

“Maybe many of you are wondering why I'm still here [in south Africa]. I'm supposed to be with my [US] team and I will be missing a really crucial game on Saturday. I'm still sorting out my visa and I'm using this time to grieve with my family,” Kgatlana said. 

“It was very difficult, to be honest. I hadn't been with Banyana for a year because I was injured at Wafcon [last year's Women's Africa Cup of Nations]. I was focusing on coming back to play for Banyana and my new team in the US. There was a World Cup at the back of my mind.

“I came into camp and the first thing when I arrived, my mum called me and told me my father's aunt passed away.

“I felt I needed to go home, but I couldn't because me and [Banyana captain] Refiloe Jane, Andile [Dlamini] and Jermaine [Seoposenwe] were trying to sort the issue [a dispute with the South African Football Association over payment] we had before the World Cup.

“I wake up the next morning [and hear] my great grandmother passed away and I tell the manager I need to go home, I can't do this. They give me some time to be at home. 

“I fly to New Zealand and three days before the World Cup starts my aunt passes away because of cancer. I want to go home, but I still want to be with my teammates because we really worked hard, we sacrificed everything to be there. We fought before we got to the World Cup and I said let me give it a try.

“One thing people didn't know is that two days before the match against Italy I had missed training because I had a breakdown. It was very difficult, you know, but when I saw my teammates going to training and coming back with smiles, I understood what was at stake.

“I got strength from my teammates. they supported me. I still wanted to be home, but I couldn't.

“I drew more strength and I think most of you couldn't see that when I scored that winning goal against Italy, I just lay there and I was just crying because of how much it meant for me because of all the things that I went through.”

The Banyana star, who has three World Cup goals having also scored South Africa's lone strike in 2019, apologised for not addressing the media when she returned from the World Cup last week — she refused to take interviews at OR Tambo International Airport.

“I also want to apologise because I know the media was waiting for us when we landed and I didn't have strength to talk to them.

“I know of the sacrifices they made to come to the airport to meet us. I'm admitting I was wrong and I'm still saying we appreciate the support you guys [the media] give us to make sure that women's sport is shown to the young, for them to believe.”

England and Spain contest Sunday's Women's World Cup final at Stadium Australia (noon).