The inaugural COSAFA Awards took place at the Sandton Convention Centre on Thursday evening, celebrating the best players and coaches of Southern African football in 2023.
Overall, 11 awards will be handed out for achievements over the past year, as well as five Lifetime Achievement accolades.
Mamelodi Sundowns have picked up three awards so far, with winger Thapelo Maseko being named Men’s Young Player of the Year, while Ronwen Williams was named Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year.
Meanwhile, Andile Dlamini was named Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year.
Sundowns continued their dominance of the awards, with Rulani Mokwena being named Men’s Coach of the Year. Desiree Ellis made sure that South Africa completed a double in the coaching category, as she was named the Women’s Coach of the Year.
South Africa claimed their seventh award of the evening, when Percy Tau was named Men’s Player of the Year.
Meanwhile, Fran Hilton-Smith, Janine Van Wyk as well as Mark Gleeson also received Lifetime Achievement awards by COSAFA.
All winners in one view:
MOST PROMISING REFEREE
Tsiaro Randriambololoma (Madagascar)
BEST FEMALE REFEREE
Diana Chikotesha (Zambia)
BEST MALE REFEREE
Jerson Dos Santos (Angola)
REFEREE LEGEND
Victor Gomes (South Africa)
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WOMEN’S MOST PROMISING PLAYER
Leticia Chinyamula (Malawi)
MEN’S MOST PROMISING PLAYER
Thapelo Maseko (South Africa)
WOMEN’S GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR
Andile Dlamini (South Africa)
MEN’S GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR
Ronwen Williams (South Africa)
WOMEN’S COACH OF THE YEAR
Dr Desiree Ellis (South Africa)
MEN’S COACH OF THE YEAR
Rulani Mokwena (South Africa)
WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Racheal Kundananji (Zambia)
MEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Percy Tau (South Africa)
The judging panel from across the 14 member nations that make up COSAFA are renowned for their knowledge of Southern African football and are as follows:
Houssamidine Ben Ahmed (Comoros), Ivan Capuepue (Angola), Rob Delport (South Africa), Gerard Govinden (Seychelles), Peter Kanjere (Malawi), Jesse Kauraisa (Namibia), Kagiso Kgaogano (Botswana), Sibusiso Masilela (Eswatini), Sandra Mwila (Zambia), Boitelo Radebe (Lesotho), Heriniaina Samson (Madagascar), Benoit Thomas (Mauritius), Steve Vickers (Zimbabwe) and Raimundo Zandamela (Mozambique).