Norma Margaret Plummer AM is a former Australian national player who also served as netball coach for both Australia and South Africa. She was coach of Australia from 2003 to 2011, ending her coaching career with the Diamonds on 67 victories from 89 Tests — a success rate of 75 per cent. She was replaced as coach of Australia by Lisa Alexander. She was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for her services to the sport. In November 2022 it was announced she would be returning to South Africa to coach the South Africa national netball side the Spar Proteas starting in 2022. The announcement came ahead of the 2023 Netball World Cup that is currently held in South Africa.
The South Africa national netball team, also known as the SPAR Proteas, represent Netball South Africa in international netball tournaments, such as the Netball World Cup, the Commonwealth Games, the Netball Quad Series and the Fast5 Netball World Series. Their best result in a major tournament is a silver medal at the 1995 World Netball Championships. As of 1 March 2024, South Africa are currently fifth in the World Netball Rankings.
The Uganda national netball team, also known as the She-Cranes, represent the Uganda Netball Federation in international netball tournaments, such as the Netball World Cup and the Commonwealth Games. Uganda have won Africa Netball Cup, All-Africa Games and Netball Singapore Nations Cup tournaments. Their best results in major tournaments are fifth place finishes at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the 2023 Netball World Cup. As of 25 July 2024, Uganda are sixth in the World Netball Rankings.
Karla Pretorius is a South African netball player, and has represented her country with the South Africa national netball team. She plays in the positions of Goal Defence (GD) and Wing Defence (WD).
The Premier Netball League is the top level netball league featuring teams from South Africa. It was formed in 2014 and is organised by Netball South Africa. Between 2014 and 2018, due to sponsorship and naming rights arrangements, the league was known as the Brutal Fruit Netball Cup. Since 2019, the league has been sponsored by Telkom and, as a result, it is widely known as the Telkom Netball League. In 2014, Free State Crinums were the inaugural winners. Gauteng Jaguars are the league's most successful team, having won six titles. The league features two divisions and uses a promotion and relegation format. The winners of the Division Two Shield can gain promotion to Division One by winning a play off.
Netball South Africa is the main governing body for netball in South Africa. It is affiliated to World Netball and Africa Netball. It is responsible for organising and administering the South Africa national netball team, the South Africa men's national netball team, the Diamond Challenge and the Telkom Netball League, as well as numerous other leagues and competitions for junior and youth teams. Its headquarters are based in Arcadia, Pretoria.
Shadine van der Merwe is a South Africa netball international. She has represented South Africa at the 2018 and 2022 Commonwealth Games and at the 2019 and 2023 Netball World Cups. In South Africa, she played for UP Tuks in Varsity Netball and for Gauteng Jaguars in the Brutal Fruit Netball Cup. In 2017 she captained both teams to national titles. She has since played for Surrey Storm, Manchester Thunder and Loughborough Lightning in the Netball Superleague and for Adelaide Thunderbirds in Suncorp Super Netball.
Towera Vinkhumbo, also referred to as Towera Vinkhumbo-Nyirenda or Towera Nyirenda, is a Malawi netball international and a Malawi women's football international. As a netball player she represented Malawi at the 2010, 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games and at the 2011, 2015 and 2019 Netball World Cups. Vinkhumbo was also a member of the Malawi team that finished third at the 2016 Fast5 Netball World Series. At club level, Vinkhumbo plays for Strathclyde Sirens in the Netball Superleague. In July 2019, the same month she played for Malawi in the 2019 Netball World Cup, she also represented Malawi at the 2019 COSAFA Women's Football Championship. She also played for Malawi in 2020 Summer Olympic football qualifiers.
Khanyisa Chawane is a South African netball player. She was selected to represent the South African netball team at the 2019 Netball World Cup and the 2023 Netball World Cup hosted in South Africa.
Bridget Kumwenda, also referred to as Bridget Chalera or Bridget Kumwenda Chalera, is a Malawi netball international player. She represented Malawi at the 2011, 2015 and 2019 Netball World Cups and at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Kumwenda was also a member of the Malawi team that finished third at the 2016 Fast5 Netball World Series.
Gauteng Jaguars are a South Africa netball team based at the University of Pretoria. Since 2014, together with Gauteng Golden Fireballs, they have represented Gauteng in the Telkom Netball League. They are the league's most successful team and, as of 2024, have featured in every final. Between 2017 and 2021, Jaguars won five successive titles. In 2023, they won a sixth title. In 2017 and 2018, they also represented Netball South Africa in the Netball New Zealand Super Club.
The 2021 SPAR Challenge Series was the sixth Diamond Challenge netball series.. The series was played at the Cape Town International Convention Centre and broadcast live on SuperSport in South Africa. It was originally scheduled to be played in January 2021, however it was delayed due to a resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa. It was eventually played in March 2021. It was effectively two separate series played alongside each other. South Africa, Namibia and Uganda played each other in a Tri Nations Series that earned them points on the World Netball Rankings. Meanwhile, two invitational teams, a Netball South Africa President's XII and the Baby Proteas played each other in a series of five matches. These two teams were basically the South Africa B and under-21 teams respectively. Both the South Africa and Uganda squads did not feature any players from the Netball Superleague, Suncorp Super Netball or the ANZ Premiership. South Africa won the Tri Nations Series, winning all six of their matches while the President's XII won their series against the Baby Proteas 4–1.
The 2025 Netball World Youth Cup qualification – Africa organised by Africa Netball was the latest edition in the international competition to determine the youth national teams that will represent Africa at the Netball World Youth Cup. The competition was hosted by the City of Tshwane from 16 March 2024 to 23 March 2024 at the University of Pretoria.
Free State Crinums are a South Africa netball team based in Bloemfontein. Since 2014, they have represented the Free State in the Telkom Netball League. They were the inaugural league champions. Between 2014 and 2016, Crinums won three successive titles. In 2024, they won a fourth title.
The 2022 SPAR Diamond Challenge was the seventh Diamond Challenge netball series.. It featured South Africa, Scotland and Zimbabwe. Malawi were also due to take part. However, they were replaced by a Netball South Africa President's XII. The series was played in November 2022 at the University of Pretoria's Rembrandt Hall. With a team coached by Norma Plummer and captained by Bongiwe Msomi, South Africa won the series after defeating Scotland 54–36 in the final. South Africa finished the series undefeated, winning all four matches, and Khanyisa Chawane was named the Player of the Tournament. The series was broadcast live on SuperSport in South Africa. All of Scotland's matches were streamed by Recast TV.
The 2018 Diamond Challenge was the fifth Diamond Challenge netball series. It featured South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and a Netball South Africa President's XII. The series was played in late November and early December 2018 at Seshego's Ngoako Ramathlodi Sports Complex. With a team coached by Norma Plummer and captained by Bongiwe Msomi, South Africa won the series. South Africa finished the series undefeated, winning all five matches, and Msomi was named the Player of the Tournament. The series was broadcast live on SuperSport in South Africa.
The 2016 Diamond Challenge was the fourth Diamond Challenge netball series. It featured South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe and a Netball South Africa President's XII. The series was played in October 2016 at the Westville Campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. With a team coached by Norma Plummer and captained by Bongiwe Msomi, South Africa won the series. South Africa finished the series undefeated, winning all four matches. In the final they defeated Zimbabwe 68–34. Zimbabwe, 21st in the World Netball Rankings, qualified for the final and caused an upset when they beat Uganda, ranked 8th, 42–39 in their final group stage match. The series was broadcast live on SuperSport in South Africa.
The 2012 Diamond Challenge was the inaugural Diamond Challenge netball series. It featured South Africa, Botswana, Malawi and Zambia. The series was played in August 2012 at Pretoria's Heartfelt Arena. Malawi won the group stage of the series, winning all three matches, including defeating South Africa 47–42 in their third match. However, it was South Africa who won the overall series, after they defeated Malawi 47–43 in the final. The series was broadcast live on SuperSport in South Africa.
The 2013 Diamond Challenge was the second Diamond Challenge netball series. It featured South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The series was played in October 2013 at the NMMU Indoor Sports Centre at Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth. South Africa entered an Invitational team featuring under-21 players, including Shadine van der Merwe. Coached by Elize Kotze and captained by Bongiwe Msomi, South Africa won the series. South Africa finished the series undefeated, winning all three matches. In the final they defeated Zimbabwe 59–45. The series was broadcast live on SuperSport in South Africa.
The 2015 Diamond Challenge was the third Diamond Challenge netball series. It featured South Africa, Malawi, Uganda and Zambia. The series was played in June 2015 at Margate's Ugu Sports Centre. With a team coached by Norma Plummer and captained by Maryka Holtzhausen, South Africa won the series. South Africa finished the series undefeated, winning all four of their matches. In the final they defeated Malawi 40–35. The series was broadcast live on SuperSport in South Africa.
2022 SPAR Diamond Challenge 
South Africa (7th title)
