On her days off, South Africa's “professional” sports superfan Mama Joy Chauke may sample the local dishes of the country she is visiting. But on game days, she fasts.
An ardent supporter at soccer, cricket, rugby and hockey matches, Chauke shows up at games dressed in team colours and sporting a vividly painted face.
The self-imposed fasting period begins at midnight the night before the game and continues until the final whistle is blown “for the team to win”.
Three - the number of world cup tournaments Chauke has attended in less than a year
Siya Kolisi - Chauke's favourite Springbok
— POLOKWANE TO PARIS
Polokwane-born Chauke was a striking figure in France this week, visiting the Eiffel Tower and enjoying croissants at a rooftop restaurant with panoramic views of Paris, wearing her trademark green isicholo — traditional hat — and her green and gold outfit in support of the Boks at the Rugby World Cup.
She is one of South Africa's gees (spirit) keepers on “national duty”. Dressed head-to-toe in the team's colours, she has become an emblematic figure in the stands, exuding an infectious energy that lifts players and fans alike.
Chauke has waved the flag at three world cups in less than a year. She cheered in the stands in Qatar at the Fifa Men's World Cup, earning her the Fifa “fan leader network” award from the organising committee.
A few months later she flew to Australia and New Zealand to support Banyana Banyana during the Fifa Women's World Cup.
This week she was awarded the Sports Fan of the Year title at the 2023 Momentum gsport awards but wasn't able to receive the honour personally as she was in France.
“I live and eat sport,” she told the Sunday Times from Paris this week.
Chauke’s trips to major sporting events, local and international, are funded by the department of sport, arts & culture, the South African Rugby Union and the South African Football Association (Safa). None of the organisations responded to questions about the cost of the trip.
Known for her unwavering commitment, Chauke’s unique approach has captivated players and fellow supporters.
“I supported sport from a young age. I used to travel with my school to each volleyball, netball, and soccer match,” she said.
Chauke, from Soweto, gained popularity by being front and centre in her striking regalia at almost all Orlando Pirates matches of the past 20 years.
Chauke and fellow superfan, Botha Msila, have been visiting fan parks in France while they await the Springboks’ next game.
“We all know each other, like this group ‘Springbok braai army’. We watch other countries' games on big screens with fans from various countries,” she said.
I take my hat off to Mama Joy Chauke for the resilience she's shown and the passion she's shown for all sport, which has inspired us to support women's sport more
— Kass Naidoo
Chauke bumped into legendary South African marathon champion Bruce Fordyce at the Springboks’ first game of the tournament last Sunday.
Fordyce said: “I travelled to the UK initially to attend a reunion lunch of past winners and runners of a famous 85km race, called the London to Brighton. I ran it three times in the 1980s. Many South Africans have run it and some have won it.
“I had no intention of going to the rugby but just to attend the reunion and to visit my son Jonathan and daughter-in-law Lauren. Then Jonathan suggested we stay longer and watch the Springbok/Scotland game since my sister has a home in Cap d’Antibes, not too far from Marseille where the game was played.”
Fordyce stayed and watched the game, which he described as an “amazing” experience.
“I bumped into Mama Joy and Botha in a pub in Marseille where a huge crowd of fans of South Africa and Scotland had gathered. I just took the opportunity for a quick photo before taking our seats for the game,” he said.
The supporters' initiative, founded by international cricket commentator and gsport founder Kass Naidoo, recognises the achievements of women in sport and promotes gender equality.
“Mama Joy won the 2015 and 2016 gsport Supporter of the Year awards … as a fan of male football. [Then] she inspired South Africa to start supporting women's sport. And since then she has really stood by gsport and every opportunity she's had to champion women's sport, she's done so,” said Naidoo.
“Just recently she flew to the Fifa Women's World Cup with Safa. Gsport appointed her an ambassador; her role was to champion support for women's sport, which I thought she did incredibly well on the global stage.
“Now she is at the men's Rugby World Cup. I think as a woman supporter it's not easy because it's still a male-dominated environment. I take my hat off to Mama Joy Chauke for the resilience she's shown and the passion she's shown for all sport, which has inspired us to support women's sport more.”
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