When purpose meets play
“It’s not just soccer — it’s healing, joy, and belonging.”
– Gogo Duduzile Buthelezi
In the vibrant township of Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal, the heartbeat of community life continues to grow stronger, powered by passion, unity, and purpose. Here, something extraordinary is happening. It’s not the youth taking the field this time, but a team of remarkable senior women who have turned soccer into a movement of hope.
They call themselves the Heavenly Citizens FC — a team of gogos who refuse to let age define their dreams. What started as a simple wellness activity has blossomed into a story that inspires generations.
EXCITING SEND-OFF FOR UMLAZI GOGOS AT KING SHAKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KZN). THE UMLAZI GOGOS DEPARTED FOR CAPE TOWN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GOLDEN GAMES SOCCER TOURNAMENT.
IN THE PHOTO: GOGO DUDUZILE BUTHELEZI, GOGO THEMBELIHLE NGUBO, GOGO BUSISIWE NDLOVU, AND GOGO SBONGILE HLONGWANE (IN THE RED T-SHIRT), ACCOMPANIED BY UMLAZI NPO COMMITTEE MEMBERS, ZAMANI DLUNGWANE, MENZI HADEBE, ANELE SABELA, BAYANDA GUMBI (CCDSA), AND KWANELE DUMA (RANYAKA).
Heavenly Citizens FC – the Gogos who inspire a generation
Every week, the field comes alive with laughter, determination, and the sound of encouragement as the gogos lace up their boots and chase the ball with the energy of teenagers.
For these women, soccer is more than a sport — it’s therapy, fellowship, and freedom. Many have experienced better health, reduced reliance on chronic medication, and a renewed sense of confidence and joy. They have become symbols of resilience and role models for younger generations, proving that vitality and purpose have no age limit.
In 2025, these extraordinary women were invited to represent Umlazi at the National Soccer Tournament in Cape Town — a dream many never imagined would come true. Supported by Ranyaka, the Centre for Community Development South Africa (CCDSA), and Nedbank, the trip became a living example of collaboration, empowerment, and community pride in motion.
LOCAL COORDINATOR KWANELE DUMA FROM RANYAKA ON THE RIGHT AND BAYANDA GUMBI ON THE LEFT, FROM CENTRE FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SOUTH AFRICA (CCDSA) EXCHANGING LAST WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT BEFORE THE GOGOS TAKE OFF.
Carrying history forward – the spirit of the Golden Games
According to Gogo Duduzile Buthelezi, one of the team’s most seasoned players, the tradition of senior women’s soccer stretches back to the early 1960s, when municipalities introduced what became known as the Golden Games. The goal was simple — to keep elderly women active, connected, and joyful through sport.
“Playing soccer keeps us alive,” she says with a smile. “It keeps us strong and together.”
Gogo Duduzile began playing in 2018 and has since represented KwaZulu-Natal at national level, travelling to tournaments in cities like Port Elizabeth. These gatherings are more than competitions — they are festivals of joy, unity, and shared purpose.
At the 2025 Cape Town Tournament, that legacy continued. Although only four Heavenly Citizens FC members could attend due to limited funding, their spirits soared higher than the stadium lights. They joined forces with other senior women from across South Africa, forming a combined team that played with heart, laughter, and grace.
Their performance did not go unnoticed. During the awards gala, coaches and fellow players praised the Umlazi gogos for their sportsmanship and skill — a proud reminder that true victory is found not in the scoreboard, but in the spirit of participation.
GOGO DUDUZILE BUTHELEZI AND GOGO THEMBELIHLE NGUBO AT CAPE TOWN SENIOR CITIZENS GOLDEN GAMES, READY TO TAKE TO THE FIELD
The Cape Town journey – more than a game
For many of the gogos, the trip to Cape Town was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Supported through fundraising efforts from the NPO club with assistance from Ranyaka, CCDSA, and Nedbank, everything — from flights and meals to accommodation and transport — was taken care of. For most, it was their first time on an airplane.
“There are many grannies who passed on before ever getting to experience something like this,” shared Gogo Duduzile softly. “So we are more than grateful.”
From their joyful send-off in Umlazi to the moment their plane touched down in Cape Town, the journey was filled with song, laughter, and prayer. Off the field, they shared meals, stories, and sightseeing adventures that will live in their hearts forever.
It wasn’t just a trip — it was a celebration of dignity, life, and possibility. The gogos returned home not only as players but as ambassadors of hope, carrying with them the message that wellness, purpose, and pride belong to every stage of life.
AT THE CAPE TOWN SENIOR CITIZENS GOLDEN GAMES, A VIBRANT TEAM OF GOGOS BRAVED THE COLD WITH ENTHUSIASM! THE TEAM BROUGHT TOGETHER MEMBERS FROM DIFFERENT CLUBS ACROSS SOUTH AFRICA.
The Umlazi NPO Club (NPO School) – building strength beyond the field
But behind the laughter and the goals lies a powerful network of support. The Heavenly Citizens FC forms part of Heavenly Citizens NPO, one of many community organisations that belong to the Umlazi NPO Club (also known as the NPO School) — a partnership-driven platform developed by the Centre for Community Development South Africa (CCDSA), Ranyaka, and Nedbank under the Proud of My Town programme.
The vision of the NPO Club is simple but powerful: to strengthen the heartbeat of Umlazi’s non-profit organisations — the true engines of social change.
Rooted in Ranyaka’s Thrive framework, the NPO Club reflects one of Thrive’s four foundational pillars — Clubs. These clubs embody the principles of connection, collaboration, shared learning, and collective growth. They serve as spaces where changemakers build relationships, share resources, and grow together — translating the values of the Thrive movement into everyday community action across South Africa.
THE FIRST NPO THRIVE CLUB IN UMLAZI MADE UP OF 30 NPO REPRESENTATIVES FROM VARIOUS ORGANISATIONS.
Through mentorship, peer learning, and practical support, the Umlazi NPO Club brings together passionate local leaders, helping them to collaborate, grow, and run sustainable programmes that improve lives across generations. It’s a space where leaders share knowledge, pool resources, and build lasting partnerships — ensuring that community-driven work not only survives but thrives.
The result is a growing network of changemakers, building an Umlazi that is stronger together — one relationship, one idea, and one act of service at a time.
MR MSIZI KHUMALO, FOUNDER OF THE CENTRE FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SOUTH AFRICA (CCDSA) AND ACTIVE THRIVE CLUB STAKEHOLDER, ENGAGING WITH THE HEAD OF NPOS DURING AN INTERACTION SESSION.
Full circle – stronger together
In the gogos’ laughter, discipline, and determination lies a simple truth: strength is ageless, and community is timeless.
So, the next time you hear a cheer rise from a dusty Umlazi soccer field, know that it’s more than a game.
It’s the sound of women rewriting what it means to grow older with purpose — and the sound of a community moving, together, toward a stronger tomorrow.
CLUB MEMBERS TAKING PART IN AN ENGAGING SESSION EXPLORING FINANCIAL RECONCILIATION AND EFFECTIVE RESOURCE ALLOCATION.
FORMER KZN LOCAL COORDINATOR AND FACILITATOR, ANDILE MAFA, LISTENING TO NPO PARTICIPANTS SHARE HOW THE PROGRAMME’S LESSONS HAVE SHAPED THE WAY THEY RUN THEIR ORGANISATIONS.
Umlazi is one of 38 communities across South Africa where Ranyaka is implementing the national Nedbank Proud of my Town programme. THRIVE is the name of the framework that drives the work that we do – and the name of the movement that continues to mobilise and equip changemakers countrywide.