Mama Joy: 11 things you did not know about SA's famous soccer fan
The world of sports is often viewed from the perspective of its lucrativeness to active participants. However, what is largely less talked about is how entertaining and therapeutic it can be. Mama Joy makes a good case for the latter. She has become famous because of her love for her nation, which she shows in supporting the soccer team.
Source: Instagram
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Mama Joy Chauke's bio and profile summary
- Interesting facts about Mama Joy
- 1. Mama Joy has over three decades of experience as a sportsperson
- 2. Mama Joy's World Cup appearance is a remarkable three in less than 12 months
- 3. She became the face of the Braai Army in France
- 4. Mama Joy was awarded the Sports Fan of the Year
- 5. She was a FIFA Fan Ambassador at the 2022 World Cup
- 6. Mama Joy switched allegiance from Orlando Pirates to Royal AM
- 7. Her allegiance switch has not been without challenges
- 8. She was accused of receiving funding for her support from the South African government
- 9. She advocates for women in sport
- 10. Mama Joy recently found love
- 11. She keeps her finances hidden
- Frequently asked questions
Mama Joy is South Africa's most influential football supporter, and her journey is a testament to the saying that a woman can do better than a man. Against all odds, her World Cup appearances have allowed her to travel to several countries, promoting her country's image and cheering the teams to tournament victories.
Mama Joy Chauke's bio and profile summary
| Full name | Joy Chauke |
| Nickname | Mama Joy |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | 22 December 1973 |
| Age | 53 years old as of June 2024 |
| Education | Shingwedzi High School |
| Place of birth | Malamulela, Limpopo, South Africa |
| Current residence | Dobsonville, Soweto, South Africa |
| Nationality | South African |
| Ethnicity | African |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Eye colour | Dark brown |
| Marital status | Dating |
| Partner | Papa Joy |
| Children | Chad |
| Social media | InstagramX (Twitter)Facebook |
Interesting facts about Mama Joy
Mama Joy's age is currently 50 years. Her personal life is hardly in the media, but she has a child named Chad and a granddaughter named Xila. Below are 11 fascinating facts that define her remarkable story:
1. Mama Joy has over three decades of experience as a sportsperson
The sports fan became an avid sports lover as a teenager in Limpopo, South Africa, about 30 years ago, according to News24. Her journey as a soccer fan commenced with supporting one of the Richest South African soccer clubs, Orlando Pirates.
2. Mama Joy's World Cup appearance is a remarkable three in less than 12 months
As a testament to her unwavering support of her country's sports development, Joy Chauke, as published on SABC Sports, was one of the country's supporters of three World Cups across various continents in less than a year.
Source: Original
This feat began with the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, and the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.
3. She became the face of the Braai Army in France
As published on Citizen, the sports fan was celebrated as the face of the Braai Army for supporting the South African Springboks in France for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
This honour made her the frontier of South Africa's biggest sports supporter gathering. The group is known for passionately rooting for the Springboks and has a worldwide following of 50,000 fans.
4. Mama Joy was awarded the Sports Fan of the Year
Mama Joy was recognised for her immense support when she was named Sports Fan of the Year at the 2023 Momentum GSports Awards. This accolade commemorated her strategic positioning in encouraging women in sports.
5. She was a FIFA Fan Ambassador at the 2022 World Cup
As published on SAFA's website, this sports lover soared to greater heights when FIFA selected her as a fan ambassador for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. This was despite South Africa's national team's failure to qualify for the tournament.
6. Mama Joy switched allegiance from Orlando Pirates to Royal AM
For 30 years, Mama Joy was an Orlando Pirates fan, but her support for the club ended abruptly in 2021 when she switched to Royal AM. This decision had mixed reactions, with some suggesting that Royal AM's owner, Shaun "MaMkhize" Mkhize, had paid her for it.
As noted on SNL24, Mama Joy's salary at Royal AM was only a rumour. The sports fan claimed that she decided not to be paid because of her desire to root for women in sports.
7. Her allegiance switch has not been without challenges
Even though she is well-loved in South African sports, Chauke faced hate after joining the Royal AM. She was initially prevented from gaining access to the Orlando Stadium for a match between Orlando Pirates and Royal AM in the 2023 DStv Premiership.
Source: Instagram
8. She was accused of receiving funding for her support from the South African government
A section of the media controversially scrutinised Mama Joy. She was accused of accepting government funding to attend local and international games. She denied these accusations but confirmed that the government handles her basic travel and accommodation needs for specific events. In an interview with Citizen, she said the following:
To be there, I don't care who paid for me or whatever. To be there, whether it was paid by the President of the country or whoever but for me to be at the World Cup… Nothing else.
9. She advocates for women in sport
Gsports noted that Mama Joy's advocacy for women in sport helped her bag the Ambassador for The Year of Women's Sport award courtesy of a prominent South African platform, GSport. The platform is dedicated to emphasising accomplishments and challenges encountered by female athletes and fans.
Source: Instagram
10. Mama Joy recently found love
She craves love in her personal life and found it on one of her several trips to sporting events. She recently took to social media to praise the new man in her life, simply as Papa Joy. Often addressed as Mama Joy's husband, according to Ubetoo, the Frenchman has consistently been featured on her Instagram page.
11. She keeps her finances hidden
The sports lover prefers to lead a quiet life outside of sports, so Mama Joy's net worth is not unknown.
Source: Instagram
Frequently asked questions
Mam Joy is indeed a delight to watch anywhere she is supporting her team. This has led to several inquiries into her life, such as;
- Does Mama Joy get paid? She claimed to be an unpaid supporter who does it for the love of the sport.
- What is Mama Joy's real name? Her name is Joy Chauke.
- Which team does Mama Joy support? She supports the South African national teams and Royal AM.
- Who is Mama Joy of South Africa? She is the face of sports support in the country.
- Where does Mama Joy live? Her house is in Dobsonville. Some of South Africa's highest-paid soccer players hail from this area.
Beyond her colourful personality and contagious energy, Mama Joy has impacted South African sports culture. She is inspiring a new generation of supporters and laying the foundation for women in sports.
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