Karabo Mathang-Tshabuse
Tribute
Karabo Mathang-Tshabuse spots potential in her two children with the same keen eye she used to spot soccer talent across South Africa, demonstrating that opportunity often needs someone to recognize it first. Beyond her groundbreaking status as South Africa's first female FIFA-accredited soccer agent who moved on to practice law, we honour the legal strategies and game theories discussed over dinner tables, and the professional who considers parenting her most important position.
Profile
Karabo Mathang-Tshabuse is a trailblazer in the sports management and legal fields. In 2007, at the age of 21, she founded P Management, a sports management company focused on scouting and nurturing amateur soccer talent for professional play. Her company has successfully scouted notable players such as Amanda Dlamini, Tendai Ndoro, and Ronald Kampamba. In 2009, she became South Africa’s first female soccer agent accredited by both the South African Football Association (SAFA) and FIFA, marking a significant milestone in a traditionally male-dominated industry. Beyond her pioneering role in sports management, Mathang-Tshabuse pursued a legal career, earning a law degree from the University of the Witwatersrand in 2014. She is now a practising attorney at the High Court of South Africa. Her legal acumen was notably displayed in a landmark case during the 2020-21 National First Division, where she successfully represented Sekhukhune United in a points deduction dispute, leading to their league victory. Her contributions have been recognized through various accolades, including being listed among the Mail & Guardian’s 200 Young South Africans in 2013 and the BBC’s 100 Women in 2015. In 2016, she was honored with the Glamour Women of the Year Award in the Business Category. Balancing her professional endeavors, Mathang-Tshabuse is also a dedicated mother of two children.