South African · Hammarsdale, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa · Born 19 January 1988Msomi made 171 appearances for South Africa between 2011-2023, captaining the team from 2016 and playing at four Netball World Cups.
Bongiwe Msomi was born on 19 January 1988 in Hammarsdale, KwaZulu-Natal, the fifth of eight children. She began playing netball almost by accident at 16, filling in for a friend's training session at Chief Luthayi High School, and credits her first coach, S'thembiso Mncwabe, with funding much of her early development out of his own pocket. Msomi made her senior Proteas debut in 2011 at the World Netball Championships in Singapore, and became vice-captain in 2013. She was handed the national captaincy in 2016, a role she held until her retirement, leading South Africa to their most successful Netball World Cup campaign in history at Liverpool 2019 — a fourth-place finish, South Africa's best result in 25 years. She captained the Proteas again when they hosted the World Cup for the first time on African soil in Cape Town in 2023, having by then become South Africa's most-capped netball international. Msomi built an extensive club career across three countries, starting with Kingdom Stars in South Africa before signing for England's Surrey Storm in 2015 and Wasps Netball in 2017, winning the Netball Superleague title and earning Player of the Match in the Grand Final. She also played a season for Adelaide Thunderbirds in Australia's Super Netball. She retired from international netball in December 2023 with 171 caps, and continues to coach and manage netball at the University of Johannesburg while running the Bongi Msomi Legacy Project, supporting young players in her hometown of Hammarsdale.
South Africa's most-capped netball international and former long-serving captain
How They Played
Pacey, creative centre known for tactical intelligence and calm decision-making under pressure
Lasting Impact
A defining figure in South African netball's rise to genuine international competitiveness, and an inspirational leader for the next generation of African netballers
Career Honours
- Netball Superleague titles 2015 (Surrey Storm), 2017 (Wasps)
- Telkom Netball League title 2022 (captain)
- 2013 Diamond Challenge title (captain)
| Club | Period | Apps |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom Stars | 2010–2016 | — |
| Surrey Storm | 2015–2016 | — |
| Wasps Netball | 2017–2019 | — |
| Adelaide Thunderbirds | 2018–2018 | — |
| Gauteng Golden Fireballs | 2020–2022 | — |
South African Athletes