Johannesburg. The second edition of Sasol and SAFA’s #Limitless internship programme is underway. Banyana Banyana’s Thato Letsoso and UWC Ladies player Puleng Moremi have been selected for this year’s programme after their successful interviews in September. The internship, which will run from October 2019 to September 2020 will see the two candidates gain work experience at Sasol, SAFA and sports marketing agency Levergy.

Through this programme, women footballers are given an opportunity to gain work experience and become skilled in other areas outside of football. This year, the interns will be mentored by former Banyana Banyana captain Lydia Monyepao who is currently the Deputy Director Support Services at TUKS Sport. Monyepao will be advising and supporting the interns throughout the year, as well as helping them set goals that they would like to achieve by the end of the internship. 

With a Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Psychology Thato Letsoso, who is now pursuing an honours degree in Sports Marketing, is serious about her future. Born and raised in Bloemfontein, football was always a big part of her family growing up and as a result she was inspired to play. Thato joined Banyana Banyana in 2018 and was part of the squad that won the COSAFA Women’s Championship. Among other achievements, she was also part of the 2017 USSA FISA World Student Games in Taipei as the vice-captain for the University of Johannesburg team.

“This year marks my final year in varsity so the Limitless internship programme is a perfect step for me to see how I can learn more about the corporate side of sports. I can’t wait to learn from these three giants who I believe contribute greatly to women’s football. I would like to grow in the field and mainly contribute from a public relations, promotions and social media perspective. I believe that through the internship I will also improve my communication and social skills, given the fact that we will be working in teams. I also can’t wait to work under the guidance of Lydia Monyepao. She is an inspiration and a perfect example of how successful a footballer can be after hanging their boots,” she said.

When Cape Town based Puleng Moremi heard about the internship, she knew that she had to make a big move to Johannesburg. As an aspiring Marketing Specialist, Puleng saw this as an opportunity to learn and experience what it means to work with brands involved in sports sponsorship. 

“When I saw the post on the Sasol League Twitter page, I knew that it was time for me to take the step. I have a degree in Administration and I’m currently studying Sports Development. I hope that my qualifications will assist me in learning some skills off the field this time around,” she said.

Puleng’s football journey began at the age 13 playing in the Sasol League for the Dan Hawks team in Welkom. Now based in Johannesburg, she has left the UWC Ladies to join the University of Johannesburg Ladies team. After being part of the U-17 and U-20 national teams, her dream is to play for Banyana Banyana and the Orlando Pride team based in the United States. Her role models include the likes of Amanda Dlamini, Alice Khoza, Simphiwe Dludlu and Cheryl Botes.

“These women inspire me because they showed us female footballers that there is so much that you can do off the field, that we can also use football as a tool to explore new career paths. That is why for me this internship is important as I believe that it will help me reach my potential like my role models. I’m grateful to Sasol, SAFA and Levergy for creating such a great opportunity,” she concluded.

Excited to join this year’s programme, mentor Lydia Monyepao said, “I’m happy to be part of Sasol’s vision to bring change in women’s football. This is truly a great opportunity for Puleng and Thato, and as a mentor I will do my best to make sure they get the support they need.”

For more information on the Limitless initiative and to show your support, search #Limitless on Twitter or YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jMRZ_CJR3Y