Durban: The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government has officially unveiled the 2025 KZN Premier’s Netball Cup, marking a groundbreaking milestone in the province’s efforts to foster netball talent and empower young women through sport.
According to South African Government News Agency, the tournament was launched on Sunday in partnership with the KwaZulu-Natal Netball Federation. The event is set to take place from 5 – 9 March 2025 at the Victoria Mxenge Indoor Complex in Umlazi, south of Durban. It aims to provide a platform for young women aged 16 to 36 and serves as a crucial building block for the future of netball in the province.
The competition will feature 12 district-based teams, each representing a local district and named after its respective mayor. The teams will compete in one of the province’s most prestigious netball tournaments. Each 15-member squad must include at least six players under the age of 20, ensuring the inclusion of emerging talent. Furthermore, each team must field a minimum of 12 players per match, with at least 50% match participation, promoting fairness and opportunities for skill development.
Speaking at the launch, KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Thamsanqa Ntuli, emphasized that the tournament will provide valuable exposure for players aiming for provincial and national representation. Players will have the opportunity to be scouted for teams such as the Kingdom Stars, KZN’s professional netball franchise, and potentially the Spar Proteas, South Africa’s national netball team. The Premier highlighted that the tournament represents a comprehensive strategy to professionalize the sport.
Ntuli also stated that the tournament aims to contribute to netball’s holistic growth, focusing on players, coaching, officiating, sports administration, marketing, and sponsorship. Through these investments, the province is creating pathways for job creation and boosting sport tourism in KwaZulu-Natal. The Premier urged local businesses, municipalities, and fans to actively support the sport to ensure its continued growth and success.
The KZN Premier’s Netball Cup aligns with the larger vision of Netball South Africa (NSA), the sport’s governing body, which has been instrumental in positioning South Africa as a dominant force on the global netball stage. This includes the successful hosting of the 2023 Netball World Cup, which highlighted the country’s rising influence in international netball. According to NSA, netball is the most popular female sport in South Africa and ranks as the second-most participated sport overall, with over two million active netball players participating weekly.
The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government has extended its best wishes to all participating teams and encouraged communities to rally behind their local districts.