LISAZOQHUBEKA nokudlala esigabeni esiphezulu kwiTelkom Netball League (TNL) iqembu laKwaZulu-Natal, iKingdom Stars, nakuba lagawulwa yizembe ngesizini edlule.
IStars yaqeda emsileni kuDivision A ngesizini edlule, yashoveleka esigabeni sesibili ngesikhathi iguqiswa ngompetha bakwaDivision B, i-Eastern Cape Aloes, kowokuhlunga.
Nokho, isiphinde yathola ithuba lokubuyela esigabeni esiphezulu kulandela ukufakwa kwamaqembu amabili amasha, iLimpopo Lilies neFree State Sonoblomo, azoyibamba esigabeni sesibili.
Lokhu kuchaza ukuthi i-KZN isazoqhubeka nokumelwa yiqembu elincane, iKingdom Queens, esigabeni sesibili.
I-TNL yalo nyaka izoqala ngo-Ephreli 27 eNgoako Ramahlodi Sports Complex eSeshego, ePolokwane. Umzuliswano wokuqala uzophela ngoMeyi 1.
“Ukwengezwa kwamaqembu amabili amasha kusho ukuthi umqhudelwano wethu uyakhula nokuyinto esithokozisa kakhulu. Ukungena kweLilies neSonoblomo kuchaza ukuthi iqembu lase-KZN, iStars, lisazoqhubeka esigabeni esiphezulu,” kusho umengameli weNetball South Africa (NSA), uCecilia Molokwane.
“Sizokhumbula ukuthi iStars yagawulwa yizembe ngesizini edlule kodwa kumele ibonge amadlozi ngoba isazoqhubeka nokudlala esigabeni esiphezulu. Sibone kungcono ukuthi la maqembu amasha angene kwesesibili ukuze athole ithuba lokuwujwayela umqhudelwano.”
Kulo mcimbi obuseSandton, eGoli, kuphinde kwadalulwa ukuthi isivumelwano phakathi kwe-NSA nabaxhasi iTelkom siphinde selulwa ngeminyaka emithathu kusukela ngo-Ephreli 1.
ITelkom yaqala ngo-2019 ukuxhasa lo mqhudelwano ohlanganisa amaqembu aphuma kuzona zonke izifundazwe zakuleli.
“Kuyintokozo ukuqhubeka nobudlelwano bethu ne-netball yakuleli ngoba sibona zifezeka izinhloso zethu zokuthuthukisa lo mdlalo kuleli nokukhiqiza abadlali beqembu lesizwe noma abazokwazi ukuyodlala phesheya,” kusho obhekene nezokumaketha kwaTelkom, uGugu Mthembu.
“Ngo-2019 saqala namaqembu angu-10 kodwa manje sesinamaqembu angu-15. Lokhu kukhombisa ukuthi ayanda amathuba okuthi abadlali be-netball abasebancane badlale esigabeni esikhulukazi kuleli.
“Ngesikhathi sibuqala lobu budlelwano abadlali babengaholi kodwa manje sebeyakwazi ukuthola okuthile, okusho ukuthi sibambisene ne-NSA sesikwazile ukushintsha impilo.”
Umzuliswano wesibili nokuzoba ngowokugcina, uzoba seHeartfelt Arena, ePitoli, kusukela ngoJuni 2 kuya kuJulayi 1.