Thanks to sheer determination and perseverance, one footballer who broke the chain of her early years of struggle is Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies striker Melinda “Tsetse” Kgadiete.
Melinda has also stamped her authority in the Hollywoodbets Super League and the inaugural edition of the CAF Women's Champions League that took place in November in Egypt. “These last few months have been one massive journey as I featured in several tournaments for both Sundowns and Banyana Banyana. It has been a wonderful learning curve for me and my teammates as we have gained so much knowledge and experience,” said the Sundowns striker. “This will come in handy in boosting our overall understanding of the game.”
She went on to express her excitement in winning the CAF Women’s Champions League, “The win in Egypt boosted our confidence. It shows that if we can dominate the entire continent, it means that we are more than capable of showing our class whenever we are pitted against anyone. Right now, our long-term target is to compete at the proposed FIFA Women’s Club World Cup. We feel unstoppable at the moment, but we are going to keep working harder every day in training to avoid any form of complacency.”
Although the Mdantsane-born attacker is often praised for her ability to put the ball in the back of the net, there is a lighter side to her personality off the field. Quick facts you never knew about Kgadiete She is a big fan of Cricket: “I used to play the game back in the day using the rubbish bin as wickets. Former South African professional cricketer Makhaya Ntini, who is also from the Eastern Cape, is one of the guys who broke barriers in the sport. He was proof that if you believe you can do it, then you could indeed achieve it. I would rate myself as a 6/10 in terms of batting and fielding.” She started as a match official: “I attended the same training sessions with some notable South African referees such as Akhona Makalima (FIFA-licensed) and Athenkosi Ndongeni. I am proud to see what they have achieved.” She loves take-outs: “Honestly, I love to eat out most of the time. I love to explore delicacies on the menu and sometimes I go with my mood.” Singing is not her strength: “I simply cannot sing to save my life. However, there are some of my teammates who aspire to be on the same level as legends such as Beyoncé and Mariah Carey. In the dressing room, both Karabo Makhurubetshi and Bambanani Mbane have very high pitches while Andile ‘Sticks’ Dlamini does wonders with her voice. ‘Sticks’ also has a song titled ‘Ngicela Kukhanye’” She loves listening to music: “I love listening to good music. If load shedding were to happen and I needed a proper playlist to keep me entertained, I would immediately go for Lelona Daweti’s phone. She is regularly keeping up with the latest hit songs from Amapiano to Hip Hop. Daweti knows her stuff and her music will distract me till the electricity is back.” There is no place like home: “My favourite place of all time is East London. I have travelled to various countries but there is something special about being home.” Keen on fashion: “I love my fashion and my teammates do as well. If the Fashion Police were to raid Chloorkop, we will walk free. This is because we know how to drip swag! Leading our crew would be Oratile Mokwena, Bambanani Mbane and Thembelihle Masibi.” On being the first to score at three different competitions for Sundowns: “It was an incredible feeling being the first to score in all three competitions; Hollywoodbets Super League, COSAFA qualifiers and the CAF Women’s Champions League in Egypt.” In her first season with the Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies team, Melinda already has a string of wonderful accomplishments and trophies to be proud of. Her debut season with the club has seen her make a return to the Banyana Banyana set-up and Kgadiete will be hoping to build on the successful campaign she has had. 2021 will forever be remembered as an incredible year for the Sundowns Striker and the Yellow Nation is in full support of her success in 2022 and beyond!