The South African Senior Women’s National Team, Banyana Banyana, is continuing with preparations for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

The South African Senior Women’s National Team, Banyana Banyana, is continuing with preparations for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

After a short break following their return from The Netherlands, where they played and lost two games (1-0, 2-0), the squad is back in camp.

The next assignment for the team is the much-anticipated clash against the Women’s World Champions, USA.

The two nations will meet on Saturday, 9 July 2016 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois.

Kickoff is at 12h00 local time (19h00 SA Time – USA is seven hours behind South Africa).

The USA is ranked number one in women’s football and they are also the current Women’s World Champions.

The Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana took time off their preparation to pay a visit to a Sasol plant in Sasolburg on Wednesday, 15 June 2016.

The players spent time with the employees, signing autographs and posing for photographs.

The visit came just a day before South Africa commemorated the 40th anniversary of the 16 June 1976 uprisings.

Midfielder and former captain of Banyana Banyana, Amanda Dlamini, says the day means a lot to her as a person and an athlete.

“June 16 means a great deal to me. It serves as motivation to have a voice and to stand for what we believe in. At times it comes at a cost but being part of a generation that inspires is more valuable than the challenges one faces. In all different walks of life we need to strive to bring change and be the difference,” said Dlamini.

“As an athlete I understand that I’ve also become a pioneer of youth change and influence, and, therefore, we celebrate and commemorate June 16 in the best way we know how, and that is by playing sport, being the voice of woman empowerment and equality and also travelling the world to share in the voice of liberation.”

On Friday, 17 June, Banyana Banyana will embark on another visit to the Secunda Sasol plant where they will also hold coaching clinics for children around the area.

Their training session will also be held in Secunda in the afternoon.