Onthatile Zulu Exposes South Africa’s Women’s Hockey Funding Crisis Ahead of World Cup

• South African hockey player Onthatile Zulu called out the underfunding of the national women's team ahead of the upcoming World Cup
• Zulu said money was being spent on sports tourism while her team struggled to cover basic expenses to compete internationally
• South Africans rallied behind Zulu, drawing comparisons to the neglect of other non-mainstream sports such as skateboarding

South African hockey player Onthatile Zulu has gone public with a heartfelt plea for investment in women's hockey, revealing that the national team is battling to fund its participation in the upcoming Women's Hockey World Cup.

Zulu shared her thoughts in a carousel post on Instagram on Friday, 17 July 2026, which has since drawn nearly 2,000 likes and more than 150 comments.

Funding spent on tourism, not athletes

In the post, Zulu said it was deeply painful to watch large sums of money directed towards sports tourism while her own team scrambled to cover the costs of representing South Africa at a World Cup.

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"What's even more disheartening is seeing the massive amounts of money spent on sports tourism while our national women's team is struggling to cover expenses to represent our country at the upcoming World Cup," she wrote.

She also reflected on the talent available at school level, noting that some of her most gifted teammates had been forced to abandon the sport purely due to financial constraints.

"Over the years I've also seen some of my incredibly talented teammates forced to walk away from their dreams simply because they couldn't afford to keep playing. It breaks my heart," Zulu said.

Despite the frustration, she drew inspiration from the recent performances of Bafana Bafana and the Proteas Women at their respective World Cups, and pledged to continue playing with pride until the sport receives the development it deserves.

"Representing South Africa is our greatest honour, and it's time to invest in our dreams, not just applaud them," she added.

Hockey remains one of South Africa's most underfunded national sports, receiving significantly less government support than football, rugby and cricket.

South Africans back Zulu's call for change

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The post resonated widely, with users from other overlooked sporting codes joining the conversation.

@brands_vaijalo wrote:

"TIME TO TALK UP!!! This is exactly what is happening with skateboarding in South Africa, and it's time for change. Appreciate you @thati_zulu10 for vocalising the reality that all athletes face in our country that aren't in the 'mainstream sports'."

@zenith.kwinana responded:

"Very true Thati. We back you all the way friend! 💗💗"

@nsikelelo_mthiyane reacted with:

"🥺🥺🥺💔"

@miss_w_rhoades added:

"This has been on my heart for a long [truncated]"

The SA women’s hockey team qualified for the 2026 FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup after winning the African qualification route, earning their place among the world’s top teams.

Despite reaching the World Cup, both the men’s and women’s national teams launched crowdfunding campaigns in 2026 to help cover costs linked to international travel, accommodation, preparation camps, performance support and equipment.

Source: Briefly News