By Joshua Hendricks 

Hanover Park takes netball seriously – as the ladies of Mount View High School proved when they qualified for the South African School Netball Championship Under 17 Competition, which takes place in Boksburg, Gauteng. 

The team went through a strenuous qualification process in the Western Cape, but they fought hard on the court, and more than earned their spot as one of the few to participate in the 2022 edition of this prestigious competition. 

For many of these females it will be the first time leaving the Hanover Park area – let alone leaving Cape Town – and they’re looking to make the most of it.

“In my area, Hanover Park, you play a lot of netball, you see even males play the sport, because you can’t stop them,” says Mount View player Mumtaz Gamiet. “I have played netball since I was eight and I used to play for a club, but the older I got, the more I started to think of one day representing Western Province and taking my netball further,” 

For Mumtaz, the tournament will be a chance to show the world what she can do.

“Going to Gauteng is just the first step for me and at the end of the day I want to see myself playing out there on TV; I want to show the people Mumtaaz can play netball. “That is my aim for now, and I must work hard to get to that point – but God willing I will.” 

For fellow learner Laylaa Haman, the opportunity to go to Gauteng is also a chance to show off her skills – and she’s going to make the most of it…because you never know who’s watching. 

“Netball is all I have,” she says. “I see myself in five years playing or being more involved with netball, because nowadays you don’t get work if you are done with school so I want to work myself up with netball. If it doesn’t work – and hopefully it will – then I will have to go work, of course. But I have hope because of things like this.”

Tatum William, another pupil and netball player at Mount View High School, has been a fan of the sport for most of her life.

“I’m one of three children, I was raised by both parents and I fell in love with netball when I was just eight years old,” she says. “That’s when  I knew that I was in love with the sport, and I started playing for a local netball team Angels in Hanover Park, where I was born and bred.” 

She explains her motivation for playing netball, and what it means to her. 

“My main aim is to show people that we can also play netball down here in Hanover Park – and try to use this as a tool to make and create a better life for myself and everyone else that is connected to me.”

The tournament will start on 7 August 2022 at 7am. 

Edited by Nicklaus Kruger