Chiefs Ladies midfielder Maseko targets Banyana Banyana return

Kaizer Chiefs Ladies midfielder Refilwe Maseko has revealed that returning to Banyana Banyana remains one of her ambitions. The 21-year-old has already represented South Africa at senior level and wants to earn another call-up after her earlier international experience.

Maseko joined Chiefs in July and has played twice for the club, scoring once. Her arrival has come during the team’s first season in the semi-professional ranks, with the Glamour Girls leading the SAFA Gauteng Provincial Women’s League on 46 points from 20 matches.

The former University of Johannesburg captain made the admission during a joint online press conference involving Chiefs and German club Arminia Bielefeld. She described national-team football as an important target for players and said representing South Africa had strengthened her desire to return.

Maseko first entered the national setup at 17, when she played in the Under-20 World Cup qualifiers. She later won two senior caps during the 2022 COSAFA Women’s Championship, where South Africa reached the final against Zambia.

Although South Africa lost that final, Maseko said the tournament gave her valuable exposure. Facing players from across the continent showed her the greater physical demands and different qualities involved in African international football compared with the domestic league.

She also regarded the COSAFA experience as an opportunity to meet new players and develop a broader understanding of the game. The tournament helped her recognise that there was more to learn beyond the football played in South Africa, while her early contribution at Chiefs has placed her in contention to pursue that international goal again.