Siphiwe Thwala’s journey from Mpumalanga to Malaysia
When Siphiwe Thwala arrived at the SASHOC National Week in July with Mpumalanga‘s u18A girls’ squad, being selected for the SA Schools team was the furthest thing from her mind.
Instead, the 17-year-old was laser-focused on giving her all for her team in her first senior inter-provincial tournament.
The Middelburg High School pupil excelled and impressed for her side, even though they were playing in the B-section of the tournament.
At the end of their campaign, Mpumalanga finished in fourth place after going down 3-4 against Boland B on penalties in the bronze medal showdown.
Thwala thought that was it, done and dusted, but she received the shock of her life during the closing ceremony.
“I remember sitting on the Astro during the prize-giving, and I heard my name being called out for the SA team, and I was shocked,” she told SuperSport Schools Plus.
“It was totally unexpected because I thought they [the selectors] didn’t pay much attention to the B-Section, and they only selected from the A-Section.
“It was the last thing on my mind, although I had the dream of playing for South Africa one day, but because we were in the B-section, that dream kind of faded.
“When I was called out, I was surprised and thought: [Are they really talking about me?] I didn’t see it coming, to be honest.”
The selection was a reward for all the hard work she had put in on the turf, working on her game and fine-tuning her skills as a left link.
Thwala wasn’t born into a hockey family but first picked up a stick in grade one and never looked back.
“My family is absolutely not big on hockey,” she laughed.
“I’m the only person who plays hockey at home, and I think I’m the first. I started in primary school at Laerskool Middelburg in grade one.
“I decided to try different sporting codes, like tennis and netball, but I loved hockey more than anything else and fell in love with the sport instantly.”
That love for hockey grew immensely as she went through the primary school ranks and into high school.
In grades eight, nine, and 10, the bubbly, energetic youngster played for the u14 and u16 Middelburg teams before making the jump to first team hockey in 2025.
She explained the challenges and difficulties she faced with adapting to a more structured and high-tempo level. “The journey has been tough, but it’s had its good moments,” she said.
“From playing u14 to u16, it was nice because I was playing with my age mates and still learning high school hockey and adjusting.
“However, the jump from junior hockey to the first team is massive. That’s because you literally go from playing normal, basic hockey to a different and more intense game.
“It was tough to adjust, but with the support I got from my hockey friends, my parents, and coaches Ma’am Charlé Albert and Alti Nel, I managed to pull through.”
Throughout her hockey-playing career, Thwala has represented Mpumalanga at the national level.
Now, she has taken it a step further and will don the green and gold for the first time when South Africa goes in search of their maiden u17 Dato Mirnawan Cup title in Malaysia.
The prestigious tournament runs from 1 to 10 November in Kuala Lumpur, and it’s an opportunity of a lifetime that Thwala cannot wait to experience.
“I’m very excited, but I’m also nervous,” she said.
“The preparations have been a bit tough. We were given a schedule on what to do and what we should eat, and I’ve had to prepare it individually.
““It has been good. There have been ups and downs, but I’ve managed to stay disciplined. I’m looking forward to playing with my new teammates, learning, and growing as a player.
“From me, you can expect good vibes and playing good hockey and, hopefully, I can score a goal in some of the games we’re going to play,” she concluded.
South Africa’s first match of the tournament is on Sunday, 2 November, Australian state side, Queensland, at 12:00 SAST.
Follow SuperSport Schools Hockey for all the updates and results.
SOUTH AFRICA U17 SQUAD
Annika Kloppers (Die Hoërskool Menlopark, Northern Gauteng), Peyton Marais (Curro Durbanville, Western Province), Timari Jonker (Potchefstroom Gimnasium, North West), Jamie da Silva, Ella Bowyer (both St Mary’s DSG, Kloof, KZN Coastal), Zezethu Kunene (Maris Stella, KZN Coastal), Raffael Abrahams (Steyn City School, Southern Gauteng), Holly Hofmeyr (St Anne’s Diocesan College, KZN Inland), Xylia Choene (Oranje, Southern Free State), Claire Volschenk (Eunice, Southern Free State), Azania Petersen (St Andrew’s School For Girls, Southern Gauteng), Siphiwe Thwala (Middelburg High School, Mpumalanga), Busiwe Mayekiso (Hudson Park High, Border), Katherine Sickle (Rhenish Girls’ High, Boland), Emihle Wulana (Parel Vallei, Boland), Jemma Ferreira (St Dominic’s Catholic School for Girls, Eastern Gauteng), Anjun Kazie (Milnerton High, Western Province), Amogelang Motlatle (Curro Hazeldean, Northern Gauteng).
FIXTURES
2 November
12:00 – South Africa vs Queensland (Australia)
3 November
10:00 – South Africa vs Australia Crocs
6 November
12:00 – South Africa vs Malaysia Tigers
8 November
10:00 – South Africa vs Japan
