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Nomsa overcame obstacle to reach football heights

15 March 2023 | Story Jóhann Thormählen | Photo Supplied

Nomsa Mathontsi senior member of the University of the Free State (UFS) Women’s Football team has, despite enormous challenges excelled and achieved remarkable heights on and off the field.

Ms Mathontsi has been an avid sportsperson from an early age. Among her many extraordinary achievements the talented Ms Mathontsi has also been on the South African Women’s National Soccer squad Banyana Banyana.

What many may not know though, is that this is notwithstanding the obstacle Ms Mathontsi overcame in order to reach such heights. The Kovsie striker has limited hearing in her right ear and received a cochlear implant before she began her UFS journey in 2018.

I got affected when I was really young. I was doing athletics. This one time I had a very hectic race, which blocked my right ear –

At the University of the Free State Kovsie Health takes into account the medical history of its’ high-performance athletes who are closely monitored with the aim of achieving optimal performance. As in the case of Ms Mathonsi it is most important that the medical practitioner, Dr Gerhard Jansen, and his team at Kovsie Health take into consideration her medical history.

Kovsie Health provides a range of services to the UFS football programme that include: medical screenings; injury diagnosis; treatment; and rehabilitation.

Compulsory medicals

“I got affected when I was really young. I was doing athletics. This one time I had a very hectic race, which blocked my right ear.

“At first my family thought it was going to be OK, until we realised it was extremely serious and we had to do medicals,” the versatile player says.

Ms Mathontsi, a BAdmin student in Economic and Management Sciences has an implant in her skull but cannot play with her hearing device.

“Even the implant itself can be dangerous. If someone hits me with an elbow or something hard or (on the) head, it will hurt.”

It is compulsory for all UFS football players to take the South African Football Association medicals. Kovsie Health assists players in this process. This is conducted before each new season and include a basic medical, family and practice history, basis line tests, injury assessments etc.

According to Jansen, Kovsie Health needs to be aware of Mathontsi’s medical history so that they may make informed decisions and provide guidance. We will document it and if she should get concussion you will have to take it into account. We for instance know we shouldn’t see a loss of hearing as a negative sign.”

Special Kovsie football family

Mathontsi has represented the UFS in two Varsity Football campaigns, three USSA tournaments and plays in the Free State Sasol League.

Although she hasn’t made her international debut, she received two call-ups to the South African women’s squad and trained with Banyana Banyana.

The number 8 loves her UFS football family and says she has also learnt to balance sport and university.

“I think it is the bond and relationships we have with each other on and off the field that makes it special.

“I have learnt a lot in terms of leadership and how to take leadership as a senior player in the team.”

News Archive

Help to rural women to become entrepreneurs

2006-10-24

Some of the guests who attended the ceremony were, from the left: Mr Donray Malabie (Head of the Alexander Forbes Community Trust), Ms Jemina Mokgosi (one of the ladies from Tabane Village who is participating in the Women in Agriculture project), Dr Limakatso Moorosi (Head: Veterinary Services, Free State Department of Agriculture), Prof Johan Greyling (Head: UFS Department of Animal and Wildlife and Grassland Sciences) and Ms Khoboso Lehloenya (coordinator of the project from UFS Department of Animal and Wildlife and Grassland Sciences). Photo: Leonie Bolleurs\

Alexander Forbes and UFS help rural women to become entrepreneurs

Today, the Alexander Forbes Community Trust and the University of the Free State (UFS) joined forces to create an enabling environment for rural women to become players in the private sector.

Three years ago the UFS set up a unique small-scale household egg production project called Women in Agriculture in Thaba ‘Nchu as a pilot project. The project was officially launched today by Mr Donray Malabie, Head of the Alexander Forbes Community Trust.

The aim of the Women in Agriculture Project is to create jobs, provide food security and to help develop rural women into entrepreneurs. A total of 25 women based in Tabane Village in Thaba ‘Nchu are the beneficiaries of the project.

“This is the first project in the Free State the Alexander Forbes Community Trust is involved with. The project would help rural women acquire the skills they need to run their own egg-production business from their homes,” said Mr Malabie.

“The ongoing debate on the shortage of skills ignores the fact that people with little or no education at all also need training. This project is special to the Trust as it provides for the creation of sustainable jobs, food security and the transfer of much needed skills all at once, particularly at this level,” he said.

Every woman in the group started with two small mobile cages that housed 12 hens each. The units are low in cost, and made of commercially available welded mesh and a metal frame. Now, each woman has four cages with 48 hens. The group manages to collectively produce 750 eggs daily.

The eggs are currently sold to local businesses, including spaza shops and the women are using the income generated to look after their families and to further develop their business.

The Department of Animal and Wildlife and Grassland Sciences at the UFS identified the project and did the initial research into the feasibility of setting up such a project.

“A demonstration and training unit has been established at the Lengau Agricultural Development Centre and the women attended a short practical training course. Subsidies are provided for feeding, together with all the material and the lay hens necessary for the start of the business,” said Ms Khoboso Lehloenya, coordinator of the project from the Department of Animal and Wildlife and Grassland Sciences at the UFS.

“The advantage in using lay hens is that they are resistant to diseases and the women will not need electric heating systems for the egg production,” said Ms Lehloenya.

According to Ms Lehloenya, the women are already benefiting from their egg production businesses. “Some of them have used the profit to buy school uniforms and tracksuits for their children and others are now able to make a monthly contribution to their household expenses,” said Ms Lehloenya.
“In South Africa, possibly due to cultural reasons and circumstances, most black people prefer to eat older and tougher chickens, compared to younger soft commercially available broiler chickens. This preference creates a further advantage for the women. At the end of their production cycle, old hens can be sold for a higher price than point-of-lay or young hens. This brings in further money to pay for more hens,” said Ms Lehloenya.

The Alexander Forbes Trust contributed R191 000 towards the project aimed at expanding it to benefit 15 more women.

“We are in the process of recruiting an additional 15 women in Thaba ‘Nchu who will be trained by the Lengau Agricultural Development Centre in order to replicate the model and extend its reach”, said Ms Lehloenya.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl@mail.uovs.ac.za
20 October 2006

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