Hollywoodbets and the South African Football Journalists Association (the SAFJA) teamed up to award the best Men’s and Women’s footballer of the 2019/20 season.
Rhoda Mulaudzi and Themba Zwane were the inaugural winners of the SAFJA Women’s and Men’s Footballer of the Year Awards.
The awards – the first of their kind in South Africa – are styled after the Football Writers’ Awards in England.
Rhoda Mulaudzi claimed the Women’s Player of the Year, following a stellar campaign for Sundowns Ladies in the inaugural SAFA National Women’s League, bagging 36 goals in just 18 appearances for the club. Her phenomenal goal return earned her a move to Belarussian side Dinamo Minsk.
The 30-year-old Banyan Banyana star beat the likes of Andile Dlamini, Hilda Magaia and Noko Matlous to the award and the R10 000 prize money.
“Thank you very much! I am very excited, it means a lot to me. Last night we were celebrating winning the Belarus Cup final, and today it’s me again celebrating the success as the SAFJA Women’s Footballer of the Season. I’d love to thank the Almighty God, and also everyone that played a part in my football career, not forgetting my ex-team Mamelodi Sundowns. I’m so excited about me being awarded SAFJA Footballer of the Season,” reacted Mulaudzi from Minsk, Belarus.
A couple of days later Themba Zwane made it a cleansweep for Sundowns as he claimed the SAFJA Men’s Football of the Year Award. Zwane beat out competition from his teammate and skipper, Hlimpho Kekana, Peter Shalulile of Highlands Park and Kaizer Cheifs dueo Samir Nurkovic and Lebogang Manyama.
The Bafana Bafana midfielder received 59% of the votes from the 108-member strong SAFJA contingent.
Along with the revolving trophy that Zwane received, the prize for this award also includes media training lessons for an amateur club of the winner’s choice. Zwane chose Shukumani Primary School in Tembisa. He, along with his parents and Hollywoodbets ambassador Jerry Sikhosana all went to that school. Sikhosana, who was at the announcement, heaped praised at Zwane and what he did this season.
