Zola Thamae

Zola Thamae’s involvement in cricket started in 1994 when she was recruiting girls from disadvantaged areas to play cricket. Between 2004 and 2009, Ms Thamae managed the South African Women’s Cricket Team. She was involved in two ODI World Cup Tournaments and one T20 World Cup and during this time she travelled to the Netherlands, England
and Australia, and hosted West Indies, Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka. She is the first woman
to be elected President of a provincial cricket union (Free State).

The prior Honourable Minister of Sport, Mr. Fikile Mbalula, awarded her ‘Administrator of the Year’ during the department’s sports awards in November 2014. To add to her illustrious stream of awards, Ms Thamae was recognised as the most ‘Influential Women in Sport’ by CEO Communications for South Africa and the SADC.
Professionally, she is Director: Community Sport at the Department of Sport, Art, Culture and Recreation for the Free State Province.