Immersed in a male-dominated industry, South African female referee Akhona Makalima is breaking boundaries in Mzansi football and is quickly becoming a trailblazer in her own right. Here's a closer look.
The story
Football, in general, is a sport that has largely been concentrated around men. Therefore, seeing a female referee in a top-flight league, especially in Africa, is a rare occurrence as transformation and inclusivity in the sport is still in its infancy.
Makalima has now impressed in all respects as she is a trusted official in the PSL and is now deservedly seen for her exceptional work as a professional.
Scroll through the gallery above to see glimses of Makalima's off-field life
The She Ref
On Instagram, Makalima refers to herself as the "She ref". What is also profound is the fact that referrees in general never make that cross over onto the limelight, however, for her, she has long been renowned before she became a common face in the middle of the park on the DStv Prem.
The FIFA official is unsurprising an avid fitness person, who has achieved a lot of her career including an Eastern Cape Youth Award, an accolade from Estee Lauder South Africa, in addition to being honoured by Gsport4girls in 2021.
Did you know?
Makalima is a brand partner of Italian sports apparel company Lotto, which also has the likes of Orlando Pirates midfielder Thabang Monare and Marumo Gallants playmaker Thabo Mnyamane on its roster of stars.
Your thoughts, please?
How proud are you of Makalima's success?