Telkom has sponsored the Telkom Netball League (TNL) for six years. Our sponsorship aims to ‘showcase the best netball talent in the country while growing the sport and encouraging SA youth to stand tall through life’s adversities’.

We are super-passionate about this sponsorship. Here are seven reasons for you to love it, too!

Started in 2014, the TNL was iconic in South Africa because, for the first time, netballers were able to compete on a semi-professional basis. In 2024, 16 teams are competing in the league from around South Africa. It is a great place for talented players to compete – and be spotted, as scouts and coaches are often in the audience.

For us at Telkom, this sponsorship has a huge empowerment and ‘knock-on’ effect for women and their communities. We aim to elevate this female sport, giving it the spotlight and investment it deserves.

The TNL is home to some of the best netball teams in the country, including reigning champions the Gauteng Jaguars. These diverse teams, from all over South Africa, are united by talent and passion, and are always keen to showcase their skills on a national stage. In the words of Mpumalanga Sunbirds’ Kwanele Kunene: “The Telkom Netball League sponsorship means we can grab the opportunity with both hands and enjoy what we love, which is playing netball.”

There are more than 20 million netball players worldwide, but unfortunately it is not yet a game that is recognised as an Olympic sport. It was invented in 1895 in England and its popularity quickly spread worldwide. Seven players per side compete for one hour. Originally called ‘women’s basketball,’ it was renamed when the dribbling rule was removed from the sport's regulations. Did you know that once a player receives the ball, they can’t really move for more than 1.5 steps? This encourages the players to be strategic in how they pass and position the ball.

The TNL has garnered strong support from local communities, contributing to netball's growth and success at the grassroots level. Telkom's sponsorship has been crucial in advancing netball development in South Africa and fostering a culture of excellence and sportsmanship. The TNL promotes inclusivity and empowerment with players of all ages and backgrounds.

Gugu Mthembu, our Chief Marketing Officer, believes strongly in the impact of sports, especially for women, in empowerment and calls for collective efforts to support women in sports beyond the playing field.

“Sports have long been recognised as a powerful vehicle for empowerment, and when it comes to women, the impact is even more profound,” she says. However, to truly unlock the potential of women in sports, we need collective efforts from beyond the fields of play into the boardrooms in both the private and public sectors.

“In the world of sports, certain stories often remain unsung, and some heroines are consigned to the pages of history without the support they deserve,” Gugu adds. “For far too long, women’s sports have faced neglect and insufficient support, stifling the growth and potential of talented athletes. We are hoping that the TNL will go some way towards elevating women’s sport”.

The #StandTall campaign for Telkom’s sponsorship of the 2023 Netball World Cup, in partnership with Levergy, won the prestigious Gold Award at the WARC Awards for Effectiveness.

This campaign was special to us at Telkom because it touched so many lives – we may even have shed a little tear during one of its activations. We bussed a group of unsuspecting U12 netball teams to the TNL and gave them a range of pro-netball experiences – complete with meeting their heroes (our #StandTall ambassadors), participating in a game in front of a packed arena, and being part of a live TV broadcast.

Winning in the Partnerships and Sponsorships category of the WARC awards highlights our success in leveraging netball to inspire young South Africans to ‘Be brave, be bold, and stand tall.’

The TNL’s success is driven by multiple partnerships. These include the Departments of Sports, Arts and Culture (national and provincial); Telkom; Spar;  Energade; Discovery; Puma; SuperSport; Renault; Hollywoodbets; Southern Sun; the National Lotteries Commission; SASCOC; and Gilbert Netball. United in their commitment to propelling netball forward and providing opportunities for talented athletes, these partners stand as beacons of inspiration for the sport.

Check out the Telkom Netball League, in pictures.