Bongiwe Msomi Biography: Spouse, Age, Children, Net Worth, Height, Parents, Career Stats

Bongiwe Msomi is a South African legend who’s carried Mzansi’s pride onto the netball court.

That chance moment sparked a career that made her the most capped player in South African netball history, with 171 appearances for the SPAR Proteas.

From captaining the team to a historic fourth-place finish at the 2019 Netball World Cup to leading them at the first-ever African-hosted World Cup in Cape Town in 2023, Bongiwe’s leadership has lifted the sport’s profile.

Profile

• Full Name: Bongiwe Msomi
• Stage Name: Bongiwe Msomi
• Born: January 19, 1988
• Age: 37 years old
• Birthplace: Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
• Nationality: South African
• Occupation: Former Netball Player, Netball Coach, University of Johannesburg Netball Manager
• Height: 1.67m (5 ft 5 in)
• Religion: Unknown
• Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Msomi
• Siblings: Seven
• Spouse: Raeesa
• Children: None
• Relationship: Dating
• Net Worth: $250,000 to $5,000,000

Early Life & Education

Bongiwe Msomi was born on January 19, 1988, in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

The fifth of eight children, she was raised by her parents, with her mother working as a factory machinist and her father, a community leader, passing away in 2008.

Her ethnicity is South African (Zulu), and she spoke Zulu growing up, learning English later through her involvement in netball.

Her religion isn’t publicly shared, but her life reflects Mzansi’s values of community and resilience. At 16, while at Chief Luthayi High School, Bongiwe joined a netball practice to fill in for a short-handed team.

Bongiwe Msomi graduated from Chief Luthayi High School in Durban, South Africa. In 2012, she earned a National Diploma in Sport Management from the Durban University of Technology, balancing her studies with her rising netball career.

Her education helped her become a leader on and off the court, later shaping her role as a coach and ambassador for women’s sports in South Africa.

Career

Bongiwe Msomi’s career is a story of South African heart and hustle. She started playing netball in 2004 at the age of 16, joining KwaZulu-Natal’s Kingdom Stars in the Brutal Fruit Premier League, where she later became the captain. In 2005, she represented eThekwini at the Salga KZN-DSR Games, moving from goal attack to centre.

By 2009, she captained the South African under-21 team at the World Youth Netball Championships in the Cook Islands.

She debuted for the SPAR Proteas in 2011 at the World Netball Championships in Singapore, becoming vice-captain in 2013 and captain in 2016 after Maryka Holtzhausen’s injury.

Bongiwe led the Proteas to a historic first Netball Quad Series win against England in 2017 (54–51) and a fourth-place finish at the 2019 Netball World Cup, their best in 25 years.

She played professionally for Surrey Storm (2015, UK, title winners), Wasps Netball (2017, UK, title winners, named player of the match in the final), and Adelaide Thunderbirds (2018, Australia).

Awards & Nominations

• Silver Medal, World University Netball Championship, 2012 (Team South Africa)
• Silver Medal, Fast5 Netball World Series, 2012 (Team South Africa)
• Gold Medal, Diamond Challenge, 2013 (Captain, Team South Africa)
• Netball Superleague Champion, 2015 (Surrey Storm, UK)
• Netball Superleague Champion, 2017 (Wasps Netball, UK; Player of the Match, Grand Final)
• Telkom Netball League Champion, 2022 (Gauteng Golden Fireballs, Captain)
• Best Centre Court Player, Telkom Netball League, 2022 (Third time winner)
• KZN Sport Woman of the Year, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019
• Ministerial Recognition of Excellence Award, 2019
• World Netball Athlete Ambassador for Africa, 2021
• Telkom Woman of the Year, 2022

Social Media

• Instagram handle: @bongiwemsomi

Personal Life

Bongiwe Msomi, 37, keeps her personal life private but shares her heart for South Africa.

She’s in a relationship with Raeesa, although no details about marriage or children are publicly available.

Her height is 1.67m (5 ft 5 in), which is perfect for her center and wing attack roles. Living in Johannesburg, she coaches at the University of Johannesburg, where her players call her a mentor, not a friend, as she pushes them to shine.

Net Worth

Bongiwe Msomi’s estimated net worth ranges from $250,000 to $5,000,000, based on varying reports.

Her income comes from her professional contracts with Surrey Storm, Wasps Netball, and Adelaide Thunderbirds, as well as prize money from the Telkom Netball League and endorsements, like her deal with Roc Nation Sports.