Cape Town Soccer Grannies seek support for Soweto tournament

At 75, Yasmin Johnson is leading Soccer Grannies Cape Town in a fundraising drive to take a combined team of women from the city to a national tournament in Soweto.

The side is preparing to meet other soccer grannies teams from across South Africa at Nike Stadium on 3 and 4 October 2026. Because only one team from Cape Town can take part, Soccer Grannies Cape Town has joined forces with a senior Manenberg team for the trip.

Johnson established the initiative after visiting Mauritius in 2024 with a senior women’s team from Limpopo. Until then, she had never played football.

“Up until 2024, I had never kicked a ball in my life,” she said.

She was inspired by the friendship among the players and the physical benefits of the sport. On her return to Cape Town, she set out to create a similar club for women aged 50 and over, with the aim of encouraging active ageing and bringing together people from different communities.

Players now travel to training from Gugulethu, Delft, Athlone, Bridgetown, Bonteheuwel, Langa, Thornton and Mitchells Plain. Some have represented Banyana Banyana and share their tactical experience with teammates who are new to the game.

The squad is coached by a member of the Medell family, which has a long-standing reputation in local sport. Coach Ruweida Medell, one of the pioneering members of Banyana Banyana, has worked with players including Shahida Hendricks.

“If you tell anybody the Medell family, they will know exactly this is a soccer family,” Johnson said.

For some members, football fulfils an ambition they have held for years. For others, Sunday training provides time away from household responsibilities and gives them an opportunity to focus on themselves.

“They want a little time for themselves away from home, the children and the grandchildren,” Johnson told IOL.

Financial pressures remain a major challenge. Johnson estimates that about 80% of the players depend on the older persons grant. The grant rose to R2,400 a month in April 2026, according to the Department of Social Development, while recipients aged over 75 receive R2,420.

Players cover their own transport to weekly training. A taxi costs R20 each way, meaning an estimated R40 per Sunday and R160 over four weeks.

The journey to Soweto will place an additional burden on the club. Return flights from Cape Town to Johannesburg are estimated at about R4,000 per person, so the team plans to use long-distance buses, flights and shared road transport. Local travel in Johannesburg is expected to cost a further R11,000 over the four-day trip.

The club is looking for shared accommodation, meal support and sponsorship for 24 pairs of black football socks two pairs for each of the 12 players travelling. Play Sport4Life has already supplied the team’s football kits.

Johnson says some prospective donors have been unable to assist because the request does not fall within their organisations’ mandates.

“If we are not looking after our seniors,” Johnson said, “then I wonder, tomorrow what will we say?”

She has also raised questions about the continuing differences in pay and funding between Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana. The Commission for Gender Equality has previously called for greater equality in South African football.

To improve transparency and give potential sponsors confidence, Johnson formally registered the club and opened a bank account. The treasurer oversees spending, including small payments, although Johnson often covers costs herself.

West End Soccer Club allows Soccer Grannies Cape Town to use its pitch every Sunday without charge.

Matches are played over two 20-minute halves, separated by a five-minute interval. Rolling substitutions mean players can leave and return according to their physical needs.

Johnson says the team’s approach is rooted in ubuntu, both away from the pitch and in its tactics. If one player is tightly marked, teammates must recognise the available space and decide who is best placed to receive the ball.

The club has also created links between women from areas separated by apartheid-era spatial planning. Its members train together every week and have developed friendships beyond football.

“Our team’s women come from all over Cape Town,” Johnson said.“They are the most beautiful people. We respect each other. We get on with the game. We follow the coach’s instructions, and that is it.”

In March 2025, the squad travelled to Limpopo for the GIFT 2025 international tournament, where it played teams from France, England, Togo and Kenya.

“It was interesting to meet people from outside South Africa,” Johnson recalled.

She views football as an important wellness intervention and encourages members to take responsibility for their health, well-being and finances. The club also plans to address gender-based violence and other issues affecting older women in the community.

“You are accountable for yourself, your health, your well-being, and your finances,” she said.

For Johnson, the club offers an escape from domestic routine, financial strain and isolation.

“The past is gone. You cannot undo all that. And the future, you do not know. So it is imperative for you to live in the present. Make the most of today,” Johnson said.

“Go out, enjoy the fun, enjoy the outside, enjoy the sunshine, because you do not know what tomorrow will bring.”

Her community work was recognised with a mayoral award for community service in 2025. Johnson said she did not know that her councillor had nominated her.

“I always believe that if you do for others, it must be from your heart,” she said.

She draws inspiration from Nelson Mandela’s belief that “sport has the power to change the world” and says her work is about more than football. Johnson has vowed to continue serving her country and her community for “as long as I can stand on my two feet”.

People wishing to support Soccer Grannies Cape Town can contact Yasmin Johnson at [email protected].