Ilhaam Groenewald receives Provincial Ministerial Commendation for her contribution to sport leadership in South Africa

She has won many accolades for her incredible contribution to sport leadership and developing South African women in sport, amongst them being the first independent executive council member of SA Rugby (SARU) and a member of the SASCOC board. Her most recent award, a Ministerial Commendation by the Western Cape Government’s Cultural Affairs and Sports Department, is once again a testament to Ilhaam Groenewald’s, Stellenbosch University’s (SU) Chief Director: Maties Sport, dedication, belief and commitment to advancing sport in South Africa and open more doors for women in sport — young and old.

“This year, I celebrate a decade at SU, and what an incredible journey this still is,” says Groenewald, citing her excitement for her appointment being renewed for another five years as head of Maties Sport. “When I joined the University in 2014, we offered only two sporting codes in our high-performance programme at Maties Sport: rugby and hockey. Today, our offering includes 31 sporting codes. We saw a remarkable 300 per cent growth in our high-performance sporting codes and we have expanded our campus sport offering over the past ten years.

Groenewald says she is proud of Maties Sport’s involvement in creating SU’s recreational and lifestyle unit, the only one of its kind at a South African university. “We know that there are students who come from schools where there were no recreational activities. We need to help them become active. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved with this initiative and the growth we are experiencing with our programme offering.”

Groenewald says that although she received the award, she could not have done it without those who have worked with her over the past decade. “I need to mention Kass Naidoo, founder of the G-Sport and her tremendous work for women in sport and the awards she initiated, which led to me being a recipient of the National Ministerial of Sport, Arts & Culture in 2019’, says Groenewald.  She also acknowledges the Stellenbosch University leadership, especially our COO, Professor Stan du Plessis and the #MaroonMachine family for their vision, guidance and support. .

Renowned for her commitment and advocacy work for transformation, which goes beyond race and gender, Groenewald believes that by using sport, she succeeded in her quest to mentor several women and men of all ages for sporting careers. “I believe in creating a diverse and transformative environment for students, staff and our communities, something I see as an inclusive journey where people are the most important aspect. Human resource and talent management are essential in our strategy; therefore, I strongly believe in recruiting the best people, giving them opportunities and developing them, guided by our succession plan,” says Groenewald, who prioritises staff wellness.

Groenewald says Maties Sport follows a sustainable business model. Their tremendous success with fundraising, sponsorship, and optimal use of technology is part of why they can claim to be operationally excellent and innovative.

Committed to their transformational and sustainable journey, Groenewald is confident that Maties Sport is on a fantastic trajectory to gain even more momentum in future. “We have some of the best facilities in the country, a great team and leadership at SU, and our remarkable location, which makes us a favourite sporting destination in the country. We have already attracted the big leagues to host their events at our facilities, and in the next five years, we have big plans. So, keep watching this space,” says Groenewald.