Namibian Sun

Government's textiles manufacturing arm

Its marketing manager, Shafa Kanime said the planned sale is being held to make way for new inventory, which the company plans to introduce to the general public soon.

“The whole concept is to clear the stock. We realised that we have got old stock that we need to clear it up,” said Kanime ahead of the planned sales.

According to Kanime, the value of the stock August 26 plans to sell is about N$500 000.

“This mostly consists of old stock, but we will also include new material to sell as part of our bumper sales.

“We've got quality products and people should come in numbers. The prices will be quite reasonable and affordable,” said Kanime.

He urged interested members of the public to visit the August 26 premises to get a feel of what to expect.

“We are targeting the general public, mostly in and around Windhoek, retailers and small businesses. People will have to familiarise themselves with the products that we sell,” said Kanime.

The sale will be conducted on August 26's premises in Prosperita at number 13 Gold Street.

“This sale will be the first of its kind and for now we have decided to hold it on our premises,” explained Kanime.

The sale will start on 28 July with gates opening at 09:00 to 15:00 while the gates will open at 08:00 to 13:00 on Saturday.

OGONE TLHAGE

Operation Katemo comingProgramme to bolster crop production The operation, whose launch is yet to be announced, targets the cultivation of 2 000 hectares of mahangu fields in the region.

Governor of the Kavango West Region, Sirkka Ausiku will launch “Operation Katemo” aimed at complementing Government agricultural policies.

Ausiku made the announcement at the National Mahangu Festival and Mahangu Champion Award Ceremony held on Thursday.

She said the operation aims to complement the dry land crop production programme that is being implemented by the ministry of agriculture, water and forestry.

The programme is meant to increase food production through the provision of agricultural services to farmers to improve food security per household and the nation at large.

Operation Katemo will create awareness amongst the inhabitants of the region on the agricultural opportunities available in Kavango West, as well as the importance of food production for every household and what it would mean for the entire region, said Ausiku.

She said the operation will try to bring all farmers, the business community and other stakeholders on board.

The operation, whose launch is yet to be announced, targets the cultivation of 2 000 hectares of mahangu fields in the region, which translates to three hectares per household in the next cultivating season.

“For us to achieve this, constituency councillors and district farmers associations [should] come on board to champion the operation in their respective constituencies,” Ausiku said.

The operation will be introduced in all eight constituencies.

She went on to highlight on some of the challenges faced by the farmers in the region such as poor road networks, inadequate water infrastructure, the unavailability of markets for farmers situated in the northern communal areas and the electrification of infrastructure.

The announcement comes after Kavango East and Oshana regions launched their operations called “Operation Werengendje” and “Operation Iilonga” respectively last year and at the beginning of this year.

NAMPA

230 job opportunities at Cheetah cement

The Whale Rock Cement factory at Otjiwarongo on Thursday promised to recruit about 230 Namibian workers by end of July this year on a permanent basis.

Trading under Cheetah Cement, the Whale Rock Cement factory is situated on a portion of the Cleveland Farm belonging to the Otjiwarongo Municipality.

The municipality, together with local businessman Zedekias Gowaseb and some Chinese nationals, holds shares in the factory.

Spokesperson of the factory, Manfred /Uxamb said in a media release Thursday that by the end of July, the factory will recruit about 230 local permanent workers and 75 Chinese.

/Uxamb is the former Otjiwarongo Municipality CEO.

He said the jobs are for both skilled and unskilled workers.

/Uxamb said construction activities on the project started in February 2017, about six kilometres north of Otjiwarongo in the Otjozondjupa Region.

“This project is intended to be constructed in about a year, and will bring additional 400 employment opportunities to the country,” /Uxamb said.

He said that in order to have a strong and firm cement plant, special skills in construction are needed to build foundations that can carry heavy loads, buildings and cement silos.

This requirement prompted the Whale Rock Cement management to bring in Chinese workers with special construction skills in cement plants.

The factory is expected to manufacture over 1.5 million tonnes of cement in a year, /Uxamb said.

NAMPA

Service delivery high on City agenda

The City of Windhoek on Friday launched its five-year Transformational Strategic Plan, which runs from 2017 to 2022 and the Structural Alignment programme to serve as a guiding framework in decision making within the organisation.

Speaking at the launch, CoW Chief Executive Officer Robert Kahimise said the new plan will take cognisance of the impact of challenges faced in 2015/16 financial year, such as pressure for land delivery, on-going water crisis which contributed to the rising bulk water supply costs and prevailing resource constraints.

“We have realised that we cannot continue doing what we have been doing for the past 10 years and expect changes, hence the need for a new strategic plan,” said Kahimise.

He emphasised that the Integrated Business Plan of 2011 to 2016, which ended last year, necessitated the formulation of a new strategy.

The City's new vision is 'To be a Smart and Caring City by 2022' which replaces the previous vision 'To enhance the quality of life of all our people'.

Kahimise further explained that the new plan will address two themes: governance and financial sustainability; and social progression, economic advancement and infrastructure development.

“With the first two years of the strategic period, the strategies will address the more proximate and burning issues of financial sustainability and governance,” said Kahimise.

He said the middle to latter part of the strategic period will offer more optimistic projections.

Speaking at the same event, Minister of Urban and Rural Development Sophia Shaningwa said the success of CoW's strategic plan will depend on its implementation, adding that the document should not be parked in offices as part of the décor until it gathers dust, but should be implemented.

“Windhoek residents are looking up to CoW to alleviate their plight, particularly when it comes to affordable urban serviced land, housing and sanitation,” Shaningwa said, adding that with the new plan these problems should be solved.

NAMPA

Regional integration vitalEnhanced trade bolsters growth prospects Regional integration arises from expanded market access for goods and services in the country.

Minister of finance, Calle Schlettwein has highlighted regional integration and trade liberalisation as some ways Namibia could expand her economy.

The minister made the remarks in a statement he delivered at the third annual conference of the Economic Association of Namibia recently.

Schlettwein said the case for regional integration arises from expanded market access for goods and services in the country, increased value shares, productive efficiencies and welfare gains over time.

He said national growth poles for regional integration exists and Namibia should, more than before, reposition its national agenda to advance its regional integration goals.

Schlettwein said the Southern Africa Customs Union is an important point of departure for regional integration for Namibia.

Added to this, the minister said, will be the Grand Tripartite Free Trade Area amongst the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, the East African Community, and Southern African Development Community to widen opportunities in intra-African trade integration.

Namibia can also make use of the opportunities provided by its involvement in the Angola, Namibia and South Africa (ANSA) countries' pact.

“Namibia is strategically located to serve as a gateway in the ANSA configuration, as it is wedged between the two largest economies in the region,” Schlettwein said.

The minister said, for the country to reap benefits from regional integration, there needs to be a designated national strategy to guide strategic interventions within the framework of national development plans.

Industrial capacity, as well as the associated institutional capacity to support the provision of goods and services is also vital for this purpose.

“Availability of a critical mass of skills and national competitiveness across the broad range of production and supply chain is also needed,” he said.

On the growth front, he noted that the year 2017, started off on a cautionary note of weak domestic demand conditions, a relatively flat investment function and slackness in exports.

Schlettwein, however, said there are some positives which make for brighter medium-term prospects.

Amongst these prospects is stability in price, with stable or even falling inflationary levels, while monetary policy has assumed a generally neutral stance.

Output in the primary industries, particularly mining and agriculture have rebounded, while the recovery of commodity prices in the mining sector remains soft, according to Schlettwein.

He noted that a natural hedge for uranium prices in respect of Swakop Uranium Mine promises for increased exports, supported by activity in the off-shore diamond sub-sector.

“We see the momentum on exports and other inflows relative to imports already contributing to the narrowing of the current account deficit. This is further reinforced by the effects of the fiscal consolidation programme,” he said.

NAMPA

Bafana in away winSouth Africa triumphs over Botswana South Africa beat Botswana in the 2018 African Nations Championship qualifier.

Two goals in either half by debutant Ryan Moon and Gift Motupa were enough to see Bafana Bafana brush aside Botswana 2-0 in the first leg of the 2018 African Nations Championship qualifier.

The match took place at the Francistown Stadium in Botswana on Saturday.

This was South Africa's second win in 10 days against their neighbours, and by the same margin – the first time was in the Cosafa Castle Cup Plate semi-final with goals from Riyaad Norodien and Judas Moseamedi.

Botswana has not beaten Bafana Bafana in 12 meetings and South Africa has stretched their winning margin to eight games and four draws.

After an ill-tempered match in Rustenburg, with tackles flying all over the field, many had expected a bruising battle, but it was not to be.

Instead it was an exciting brand of football dished out by the two sides, especially the home side, which controlled the proceedings from early on. Backed by a decent crowd that was hoping for a better result from their side, with new head coach David Bright on the bench, Botswana tried hard to unsettle the South Africans, but the defence stood firm.

Earlier, Mothobi Mvala almost gifted the hosts a goal when he missed the ball inside the box but the defence recovered and cleared the danger.

In the 28th minute Moon received a pass from Norodien, shook off his marker, beat a defender and slotted the ball past an advancing Mwapule Masule in the Botswana goal.

With the goal, Moon joins the likes of Doctor Khumalo, Dumisa Ngobe, Mpho Makola, the late John 'Shoes' Moshoeu, Phil Masinga, Jabu Pule, Katlego Mphela and Gardner Seale as some of the players to have scored on debut for Bafana Bafana.

Moshoeu and Seale found the back of the net in the first ever clash against Botswana 24 years ago.

In the second half, Botswana made some substitutions as they were chasing the game in search of an equaliser. Moon was replaced in the 65th minute and his place taken by Jamie Webber. The latter did not waste time to make an impact as his cross in the 72nd minute was missed by the Botswana defence. Cole Alexander, who was lurking behind, pulled the ball back and found Motupa in the box to tap in for a 2-0 lead.

It was his fourth goal for South Africa in his eighth international game.

He last scored against the same Botswana in a 3-2 win in the Cosafa Cup last year.

No matter how much the home side tried to get back into the game, the South Africans were resilient.

The visitors almost snatched the third when captain of the side Mario Booysen rose the highest and his header beat the opposition keeper but not the crossbar.

South Africa head coach Baxter then introduced under-20 international Malebogo Modise into the fray in place of Norodien – but the former lasted only about six minutes on the field, as he was stretchered off with an injury.

Sphelele Ntshangase replaced him. Modise was the fourth debutant of the day after Moon, Teboho Mokoena and Sibusiso Khumalo.

South Africa and Botswana will meet in the second leg at the Moruleng Stadium on Saturday, 22 July 2017. Kickoff is at 3 pm.

SUPERSPORT

Muguruza hopes Wimbledon glory won't backfire

Garbine Muguruza hopes the legacy of her first Wimbledon title will not be a depressing repeat of the torment she suffered after her 2016 French Open breakthrough.

The 23-year-old Spaniard stunned sentimental favourite Venus Williams 7-5, 6-0 on Saturday to clinch her second Grand Slam crown.

She immediately turned her thoughts to the future, hoping her triumph will be a launchpad for more majors rather than a one-way ticket into the abyss.

When she defeated Serena Williams to win Roland Garros last year, it was revenge for her loss to the American in the Wimbledon final 12 months earlier.

But instead of having the world at her feet, the burden of being a Grand Slam champion was too much.

She lost in the scond round at Wimbledon last year to world number 124 Jana Cepelkova and crashed out at the same stage of the US Open to Anastasija Sevastova, ranked 48 at the time.

Muguruza made the quarter-finals of the Australian Open this year, but her Roland Garros title defence ended at the last-16 stage in tears and a bitter outburst at the Paris crowd.

“It's not easy. It's very good when you win it, and it's hard after when you come back and you know you have to defend,” said Muguruza.

“But that's a good problem to have. It was tough obviously, because you know you have a lot of matches to go.

“I'm happy to be in this situation. I'm happy that once again I see myself winning a Grand Slam, something that is so hard to do. It means a lot.”

Muguruza's title triumph on Saturday was her first of any kind since the 2016 French Open.

Two of her four career titles have now come at the majors.

When Muguruza lost in the first round at the Eastbourne grass-court event on the eve of Wimbledon, it looked like she was suffering another Paris hangover.

But with memories of her post-Roland Garros problems still fresh, she said she was determined to put the record straight.

She proved as good as her word, knocking out top seed Angelique Kerber, from a set down, and seventh-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova on her way to the final.

“Eastbourne was such a short tournament, I didn't play well there. But I did the week before in Birmingham (where she made the semi-finals), so that helped me,” she said.

“I always come very motivated to the Grand Slams. Since I lost the final here I wanted to change that.

“I came thinking, I'm prepared, I feel good. During the tournament and the matches, I was feeling better and better.

Every match, I was increasing my level.”

She said a glance at the honours board at the All England Club also spurred her on to end Venus's dreams of becoming the oldest Grand Slam women's champion.

“I always look at the wall and see all the names and all the history. I lost that final.

I'm like, I was close. I didn't wanted to lose this time, because I know the difference,” she said.

NAMPA/AFP

Senatla seals Stormers win in lively 'dead rubber'

Sevens star Seabelo Senatla scored with 73 seconds left to seal a 41-33 win for Western Stormers over Northern Bulls Saturday in a lively Super Rugby “dead rubber”.

Stormers scored six tries and Bulls five to entertain the crowd at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria in a final round league match where only pride was at stake.

Cape Town-based Stormers had already won the Africa 1 conference and secured a home quarter-final against twice former champions Waikato Chiefs of New Zealand.

Outgoing Bulls coach Nollis Marais would have loved to finish a dismal season with a win, but it was not to be and New Zealander John Mitchell takes charge next season.

Some of the tries came from the top drawer as South African players gradually come to terms with a more ball-in-hand approach than the long-favoured kick-and-chase style.

The lack of pressure on the teams probably helped deliver an action-packed match in which Bulls built a seven-point lead only to fall 34-21 behind during the second half.

A couple of tries for the home side narrowed the gap to a single point before a 78th-minute turnover set up the match-clinching score for flying winger Senatla.

Bulls replacement back Burger Odendaal was dispossessed inside Stormers territory and when Senatla gathered a kick into space, there was no catching him.

Senatla was a key figure early in the World Rugby Sevens Series season for eventual champions South Africa before opting for the 15-a-side version.

Young fly-half Damian Willemse converted to complete the scoring and finish with 16 points from a try, four conversions and a penalty.

Diminutive winger Cheslin Kolbe scored the first Stormers' try to raise his tally to seven from three matches after successive hat-tricks.

Flanker Sikhumbuzo Notshe, full-back Dillyn Leyds, revelling in his new role since a switch from the left wing, and skipper and flanker Siya Kolisi were Stormers' other try scorers.

Lock Jason Jenkins, winger Duncan Matthews, centre Jesse Kriel (two) and replacement scrum-half Piet van Zyl scored tries for Bulls.

Bordeaux-bound fly-half Tian Schoeman slotted three conversions and substitute playmaker Tony Jantjies one.

Stormers completed the regular season with 10 victories and five losses to finish 22 points ahead of Africa 1 pool runners-up Central Cheetahs.

Bulls managed just four wins and 11 losses, including a 62-24 thrashing at home to record seven-time champions Canterbury Crusaders of New Zealand.

NAMPA/AFP

Karate giant of Namibia One of the highly respected karateka in the country, Freddy Mwiya, shares with us his passion for the game.

Namibia Sports Commission chief Freddy Mwiya is not an ordinary administrator.

As a young boy, Mwiya who grew up and played in the dusty streets of Katima Mulilo never dreamt that one day he would become an accomplished karateka.

He also never imagined that his family would turn out to be ardent followers of the sport.

The Mwiya family is unique in that the father and three children eat, sleep, and talk karate.

His children have won karate titles. “All my three children, two girls and one boy are black belts and members of the national karate team.

“They are currently champions in Namibia in their respective divisions and also won at the recent Region Five Games.

“They also participated in the Commonwealth Games in 2009 and won medals because of their hard work,” he said.

But Mwiya himself has blazed an unparalleled trail in karate and he owns five black belts and is working towards a six dan (rank). Mwiya has represented Namibia at many African and world championships.

He has won gold medals at international level too. Mwiya won gold medals at the world karate championships in 1995 and 1996 and he held the lead title in the national championships from 1996 until retirement in 2007.

Mwiya's passion for karate started at the tender age of eight and he says the passion was stirred by movies such as Jean-Claude Van Damme an American actor.

He started punching and hitting everything he saw in front of him. Today, he says he has been practicing and honing his skills for the last 36 years and will continue to do so for years to come.

He underwent gruelling training sessions under the scrutiny of Joseph Sambi in the early 80s, and did further training with Gert Husselman and Kaiso Johan Roux. His passion for sports, prompted him to plant his sports seeds at the NSC where he is the sports administrator.

“My vision is to bring transformation through commercialisation of sports.

“But apart from that, I am a family man, and I serve in my church,” he said.

Not only does he occupy the administration seat where he helps sports clubs and athletes to achieve their dreams, but Mwiya uses the position to learn everything there is to know about sports discipline.

Mwiya has a degree in education, post-graduate diploma in leadership, certificate in leadership and a Master's Degree in Business Administration. Relevant to his administration position, Mwiya said he would like to study sports management. “I need a certificate in sports management so that I learn as much as possible.”

The karateka maintains that learning does not end, is not age specific and will always remain useful regardless of how old one is. “Knowledge is power.

“Every day we acquire new knowledge and it contributes to the body of knowledge one has. I advise my colleagues in sport to have passion for the beautiful games they represent.

“Be honest with your job and do well for others so that they can respect you,” Mwiya said.

“During my free time, I used to give karate classes.

“My children have taken over and they coach at their club.” Mwiya acknowledged the level of development for young in karateka in Namibia describing it as “impressive.”

“As a new olympic sport code, the sport has grown and many are taking interest.

“However, clubs need corporate funding in order to execute various tasks,” he said.

Limba Mupetami

Rising mountain bikerYoung pedalling sensation Tristan De Lange is a young Namibian biker who is fast becoming a household name.

At the age of 20, Tristan de Lange is a rising star in the Namibian world of cycling.

The 2015 Junior South Africa Cup champion is well on his way to following in the footsteps of professional cyclists like Dan Craven.

Driven by the desire to rise above expectations and to make a name in cycling circles, De Lange wakes up each morning at 04:00 to cycle.

This activity accords him a healthy lifestyle and takes him to places he has never been before.

But his success did not just come overnight.

His father Aiden de Lange inspired him to take up cycling at the tender age of six and at 12 he took part in his first competitive race.

In 2013, he took part in his first major competition, the African Continental Championships as an under-16 cyclist, which he won.

The second-year financial accounting student at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa grew up in Windhoek, where he learned how to ride his bicycle and has since created many cycling memories.

“Ever since I began to ride competitively, keeping in shape plays a big role in my day to day life.

“Normally, before the sun rises, I'm out on my bike to catch the fresh, early morning breeze. That is what I would say is my favourite aspect of riding and training - fresh air, silence in the mountains, and a hot cup of coffee to end the day.”

His love for cycling drives him to promote the sport as much as he can but, stays clear of pushing friends into doing something they do not feel comfortable doing.

De Lange feels it is better to spend his energy on his goals.

His effort earned him a spot at the Junior World Championships held in Norway in August 2014.

The young De Lange also went further to win the Namibian National XCO Championships as well as the U-23 African Continental XCO Championships.

Looking forward, he plans to take part in the recently revived Tour de Windhoek cycling competition.

“Most of my big race results were achieved on the mountain bike as this is my focal discipline. Road biking, however, does play a major role in season preparation as well as keeping things interesting.

“I believe that road biking will pick up in both number of participants as well as level of competition, something which Namibia can never have too much of,” he said.

“The race is very demanding which will make it exciting. There are big names coming in to race in the competition. At the moment I do not know what to expect from myself yet but, I will find out closer to the racing date.”

Even though he currently lives in South Africa because of his studies, De Lange has Namibia at heart and hopes cycling will find a warm spot in everyone's heart.

“What needs to happen in Namibia to improve the culture of cycling is to make every one aware of the benefits it provides.

Roads should also be made cyclist friendly,” he stressed.

“My ambition is to share the love of riding and to help grow the sport in Namibia as well as raise the level of competition in the country.”

Despite the fact that he is pursuing a career in finance, De Lange said riding bikes will always play a leading role in his life.

“Cycling has taught me many lessons.

“What is important to remember is the cliché which says one should always have fun.

“That is what I put emphasis on when promoting the sport in Namibia.

“I will always be a rider before anything else,” he said in conclusion.

Limba Mupetami

Young athletes make stridesRunning towards a win Three young athletes are making a name for themselves at the IAAF World Youth Championships.

Determined Namibian sprinters Sade de Sousa (100m and 200m), Ivan Geldenhuys (400m), Theron Human (100m and 200m), and Ryan Williams (Discus), participated in the 2017 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Youth Championships in Kenya.

The championships for under-18 athletes were scheduled to take place between 12 and 16 July at Moi International Sports Centre in Nairobi.

De Sousa did not make it to the finals in the 100m race but was supposed to run the 200m race. Geldenhuys and Human (200m) runners were expected to run in the finals. Williams also made it to the discus finals.

Out of the four, only Geldenhuys will travel to the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games that will take place in the Bahamas from 19 to 23 July. He will be joined by other Namibian athletes Natalie Louw and Pikkie Smith.

The youth championships were the 10th and last edition of the biennial international athletics competition for youth athletes. In August 2016, the IAAF announced the end of the world youth championships in 2018, saying it did not create a pathway for the athletes at that stage of their career. SportWrap caught up with the stars to find out more about their sports careers.

Sade De Sousa (16)

Where do you attend school?

Windhoek Gymnasium Private School, doing my grade 10.

Plans after high school?

I am heading into the medical field to either study to become a neurosurgeon or a forensic scientist.

How do you juggle school and athletics?

Keeping up with both is very hard because if I go on tour, when I come back, the amount of work I would have missed is too much to catch up on. After school I have physiotherapy and then I go to practice. By the time I get home, I am drained.

How do you handle competition pressure?

Just before the race my nerves kick in. I immediately start hyperventilating. When that happens, I have to calm myself and focus. I tell myself: ‘Forget the person next to you, don’t run against the person next to you, run against yourself, run against the clock, focuses; then I run.

Are there other runners in your family?

My older brother Emmanuel de Sousa used to run as well but that was before he went to university. He stopped because he had to focus on school work. He hopes and plans to get back on the track next year.

Running gear; how expensive is it?

My mom spends more than N$10 000 a year. That included shoes, clothes, physiotherapy, coaching, muscle cream, kinetic tape, necessary supplements, and spikes.

Ivan Geldenhuys (15)

Where do you attend school?

Windhoek High School, I am in grade 10.

How do you handle competitive pressure?

I tell myself that I can do this because my talent is from God and he is there for me always.

How do you juggle school and athletics?

I give them both equal attention. But, I am more interested in running.

What are your plans after high school?

I want to focus on becoming a world champion and to work hard to have a comfortable life for myself.

What is your memorable event?

It is a competition I ran the fastest and my dad cried because he was proud of me.

Theron Human (16)

How do you juggle school and athletics?

In the morning I concentrate on my school work and in the afternoon I am an athlete.

How to you handle competitive pressure?

Jesus is always on my side and no matter how I run, I should always give it my best effort.

What are your plans after high school?

I aspire to go to the Olympic Games, become a world champion and inspire other Namibian youth.

Where do you attend school?

I am a grade 10 learner at Elnathan Private School.

How are you improving on your training in order to get faster?

I do more intensive training in the gym and on track my coach instructs me on what to do.

What is your memorable event?

July 12. I ran in the semi-finals at the IAAF under-18 championships.

Ryan Williams (17)

I am a grade 11 learner at Gobabis Gymnasium Private School

How to you handle competitive pressure?

Very well, I don’t fear anything.

How do you juggle school and athletics?

Time management is all we need.

What are your plans after high school?

I hope to obtain a scholarship to study sport management and to focus on athletics full time.

How are you improving on your training in order to get faster?

I practice a lot.I concentrate on the little things to perfect them.

What is your memorable event in discus?

The COSSASA Games this year. Four of my throws out of six turned out to be my personal best.

Limba Mupetami

Photos: Contributed

Young Ramblers off to Gothia CupWinning spirit is high The Ramblers under-14 youth team will hold the Namibian banner high at the 2017 Gothia World Youth Cup. This is an annual event and is being held in Gothenburg, Sweden from 16 to 22 July.

At national level, the Ramblers team holds an unbeaten four-year record as in their age group league. The coach and technical manager, Steve McClune, said the players are extremely dedicated, have a great technical ability and fantastic camaraderie and team spirit. The 18 players from different social backgrounds have high hopes of returning with a medal from the competition. McClune also said Namibian football is known as the country's mainstay sport, yet the opportunities for international exposure remain limited. “As such, developing this sport at grassroots level to broaden the current scope of organised youth soccer is not only a critical path to our nation's success, but also a means to promote national reconciliation, tolerance and understanding. “To this end, the Ramblers Football Academy is proud to be a frontrunner and leader in the process of paving the way to semi-professional status for Namibian football. We view this as a fantastic opportunity to showcase Namibia and her spirit to the youth of the world, with the very real possibility for players to be scouted.”

Harald Hecht, president of Ramblers FC, urged the team to represent their country, club and families well. “Enjoy the experience to the fullest and learn from it,” he told the team.

The Gothia World Youth Cup is the world's largest youth football tournament and each year, over 1 600 teams from 80 nations around the world take part in the tournament which offers over 4 500 games.

SPORTS REPORTER

Welwitschias dig deep in comeback win

The Hage Geingob Stadium in Windhoek was set ablaze on Saturday when the Welwitschias snatched the game from Zimbabwe in the dying minutes.

The Africa Gold Cup log leaders came from behind to beat Zimbabwe 31-26 on Saturday.

It is Namibia's third win in the cup after they thrashed Senegal 95-0 in the second match and Tunisia 53-7 in the first match.

However, the game was not a walk in the park for the home team as Zimbabwe gave them a run for their money.

In the first minutes of the game, Namibia came storming at the visitors, but Zimbabwe's backline was strong, offering the home side no chance to run through.

At half time, the game stood at 20-7, in Zimbabwe's favour.

Namibia came from the dressing room in the second half more determined. Even though the visitors were more disciplined in attack, the Namibians stood their ground and took advantage of some chances, which brought a difference to the team.

In the last 15 minutes of the game, Namibia brought on winger Johan Tromp who showed character and gave the team the extra push much to the disappointment of the Zimbabwean crowd who thought that they had the game in the bag considering the fact that they were leading throughout the match.

Tromp scored two tries for the home team.

Gino Wilson, Damien Stevens and Darryl de la Harpe also scored tries and JC Greyling was awarded the man of the match award for his exploits.

Rohan Kitshoff, the Namibian captain, said Zimbabwe was a tough test and it is just what they needed to dig deep for the win.

“The game against Senegal was easy, but facing Zimbabwe was not. They made us work hard for our win and we are grateful for the challenge they gave us. We need to step up and work much harder next time,” he said.

Zimbabwe's coach Cyprian Madenge said he felt sorry for his team for losing even though they worked hard.

“It just was not meant to be. Namibia was a massive challenge and we give them credit.”

Namibia will now play Uganda (away) in their third match and thereafter face Kenya.

Namibia has won the last three editions of the Gold Cup.

The winner of the tournament, which includes Kenya, Zimbabwe, Senegal and Tunisia, will qualify for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

Shikongo bags silverIPC World Athletics Championships underway Ananias Shikongo is targeting more podium finishes at the London championship.

Namibian Para-athlete Ananias Shikongo has become the first Namibian athlete to win a medal at the 2017 International Paralympic Committee World Athletics championships in London.

Shikongo aided by his guide, Even Tjiviju, won the silver medal on Saturday, in the men's T11, 100 metre after finishing second behind world champion David Brown from the United States of America and his guide Jerome Avery, who finished the race in a time of 11.20 seconds.

Shikongo, who came from behind after a slow start, ran his personal best of 11.33 seconds to secure his first medal at the competition.

Speaking to Nampa after the race, Shikongo said he almost fell when he left the starting blocks, but managed to compose himself.

He added that there is still some hard work ahead and he is hoping to do better in the next race.

“I will continue working hard as the competition is getting tougher but we still have my favourite race, which is the 200m, on Thursday, with the heats and the final on Friday,” he said.

His guide Tjiviju said he was proud to have won a medal after a slow start.

“I did not see us winning a medal 50m out of the blocks, but we pulled ourselves together with just 40m to go and won this silver. I am not fit like when we were in Rio, but I know we will do better in the 200m,” said Tjiviju.

Shikongo says he does not plan on winning a medal in the 400m heats Sunday night.

“I will just use the 400m race as fitness for my 200m because I want to keep my body active. But if I qualify for the final I will be happy to challenge for a medal,” he said.

Team Namibia has now won one medal at the 2017 IPC World Athletics Championships.

Four athletes are representing Namibia at this year's games: Shikongo, Johannes Nambala, Lahja Ishitile and Eino Mushila; as well as guides Tjiviju and Sydney Kamuaruuma.

This major international multi-sport event involves athletes with a range of physical disabilities and in a few events, with intellectual disabilities and is governed by the IPC.

The games end on 23 July.

NAMPA

They rise above their raising A few weeks ago Zimbabwe overpowered their northern neighbours Zambia 3-1 to win the 2017 Cosafa Castle Cup and take a record fifth title. What a magnificent achievement by a team which showed spirited performance and commitment.

But, before this win, we can all attest to the fact that soccer in Zimbabwe just like other sectors of its economy has been, in the intensive care unit for years. Like its soccer pal, Namibia, Zimbabwe also struggles with financing for football. Empty stands, empty football association coffers and teams that have lost quality players – is a sign that football in the country is in the hands of amateurs with limited vision.

However, when they stepped onto the pitch to face Zambia they beat the Zambians fair and square. They shrugged off the fatigue to get the better of Zambia, who had only come into the tournament halfway through and were playing only their third game.

Knox Mutizwa, Talent Chawapiwa and Ocean Mushure all scored in a convincing victory for the Warriors, who took the trophy despite a rigorous schedule that saw them having to play six matches inside a fortnight.

Zimbabwe gave long suffering football fans in their country realistic hope that their team is well on its way to higher ranks.

Because of the team's resilience, I take my hat off to these players. Why? You may ask. Why not? They come from a country grappling with a serious cash crunch and crippling economic challenges. Earlier in the year they crashed out of the 2017 AFCON at the group stages. The players were energy sapped by endless feuds with the national federation. But that did not stop them as they went on to win the tournament. They don't wear the best kit or the best soccer boots in the world, but they play as a team and with synergy that many nations lack.

If there is no cohesion in the football structures, players reflect that on the field. But, not Zimbabweans. When you watch them play you see unity, hunger to achieve something, because their gains are never handed on a silver platter. They have to always work hard to get what they want.

Many teams in Africa, or rather if we look at our own situation, facing similar financial doldrums that are killing the game of football in this country, resilience does not come through. But, these players when they get on the field seem to forget their woes back home and play to win. They go out and play with pride. Yes, here and there you get occasional complaints like any other team and its because they must put food on the tables of their families. But their discipline when they attack should be commended.

Yes, in Namibia we do not enjoy domestic football, because of obvious reasons. But does that stop an athlete from training and investing in you? Does a soldier go to sleep because there is no war? He never buries his weapon, but has it always lest he gets a surprise attack.

To expect the Zimbabwean team to thrive in a country where everything around the players is crumbling is stretching optimism too far. But, they must be applauded for the effort they made to win the Cosafa Cup, showing the rest of Africa that despite the lack of resources if one applies himself well, positive results will come.

Our football players in this country should learn from this for Namibian soccer to remain in top notch and hopefully win the hearts of sponsors.

I also hope that the Warriors will use the money which they won at Cosafa wisely. One day your effort will leave you perched on the pinnacle of global stardom. To the fans who always urge their team with spirited chanting and the loudest at the stadium whenever their team plays, I urge you continue doing so and hopefully this will teach your neighbours a thing or two about football patriotism.

limba@namibiansun.com

Brave Warriors take slender leadBeat Zimbabwe by solitary goal The Namibians will need at least a draw away in Zimbabwe to progress to the next round of the 2018 CHAN qualifiers.

The Brave Warriors restored some lost pride yesterday after beating regional rivals Zimbabwe 1-0 at the Sam Nujoma stadium to grab the first leg advantage in the 2018 CHAN qualifiers.

The Namibians will travel to Harare for the reverse fixture this coming Sunday. Former Free State Stars and Blue Waters goal poacher Hendrik Somaeb scored the only goal of the match through a strike in the second half.

Both sides played some entertaining football at the packed Katutura stadium, with Welwian !Hanamub in particular, impressive for the Brave Warriors. However, both teams failed to convert the chances created.

For Zimbabwe winger Talent Chakaroma had an opportunity to score after some fine footwork, but his effort went wide, much to the delight of the clearly football-starved local crowd. Somaeb then responded with an easy chance, but his effort also failed to hit the target.

Namibian skipper Ronald Ketjijere struggled to contain the fast Zimbabwean midfielders, but recovered in the second half with a battling performance. Namibia almost scored the opener through Benjamin Nenkavu, but his low and powerful shot was well saved by the opponent's goalkeeper Herbert Rusawo. Just before half-time, !Hanamub was once again involved in the thick of things and this time around his perfectly timed cross landed on Absalom Iimbondi's head. However, the Namibian attacker failed to convert the chance.

After the break the Brave Warriors were determined to break the deadlock and they were rewarded early in the second half when Somaeb scored through a well taken shot. The goal clearly gave the local side a psychological advantage as they found their rhythm by attacking the Cosafa champions' defence. They could, however, not breach the opponent's defence, which was well marshalled.

Towards the end of the second half, Zimbabwe tried to comeback but it was too late as the Brave Warriors held on for a narrow 1-0 win. Namibia now travels to Harare where a draw will see them qualify for the group stages of the 2018 CHAN qualifiers. The tournament, which is only played by local-based players, will be hosted by Kenya.

Limba Mupetami

Athletes achieve personal best

Young sprinter Ivan Geldenhuys broke the national Under-17 record at the IAAF World Under-18 Championships in Kenya.

The 15-year-old Geldenhuys broke the Namibian national record after he ran a personal best of 47.17 seconds in the 400m final on Friday.

The other three athletes Theron Human (100m and 200m), and Sade de Sousa (100m and 200m) and Ryan Williams (Discus) also performed well.

In the 100m heats, Human ran a time of 11. 03 seconds, this allowed him to progress to the semi-finals.

In the semi-final he ran a time of 10. 84 seconds and finished sixth.

His time allowed him to record a seasonal and personal best although he didn't qualify for the final race.

De Sousa was third in the 100m heats, recording a time of 12.12 seconds. She qualified for the semi-finals and raced 12.03 seconds and finished sixth. She could not progress to the finals.

In the 200m, she ran 24.83 seconds, progressed to the semis, but did not qualify for the finals.

She also recorded a personal and seasonal best of 47.24 seconds in the semis.

Williams threw a distance of 53.83 which landed him the 12th position, which was not good enough to push him through to the finals, which features the top 10 best athletes. Team manager Leonie van Rensburg said the athletes performed very well considering their young ages, saying the nation should be proud of them.

From the four, only Geldenhuys travelled to the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games being held in the Bahamas from 19 to 23 July.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

Turkey marks coup defeat with ralliesErdogan warns 'traitors' Illuminated anti-coup slogans were hung between the minarets of some of Istanbul's greatest Ottoman mosques.

Turkey on Saturday marked one year since the defeat of the failed coup bid with mass nationwide rallies seeking to showcase national unity and a stern warning by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to “chop off the heads” of traitors.

The authorities declared July 15 an annual national holiday of “democracy and unity”, billing the foiling of the putsch as a historic victory of Turkish democracy.

In an intense programme aiming to hammer home the anniversary's importance, Erdogan attended a special session of parliament in Ankara, spoke to a mass rally in Istanbul and then flew back to the capital for a rally outside parliament in the early hours of the morning.

Speaking to hundreds of thousands by the bridge across the Bosphorus in Istanbul that was a fighting flashpoint, Erdogan warned that Turkey could reintroduce capital punishment.

“First of all we will chop off the heads of those traitors,” Erdogan said, reaffirming he would sign any passed by parliament bill on resuming executions.

Any move to restore capital punishment - which Turkey abolished in 2004 - would effectively end Ankara's European Union membership ambitions.

Erdogan also said the suspects being tried over the failed coup should wear uniform clothing like the notorious orange jumpsuits used at US military prison at Guantanamo Bay.

“When they appear in court, let's make them appear in uniform suits like in Guantanamo,” Erdogan said to cheers.

Supporters chanted “we are soldiers of Tayyip (Erdogan)”, with some even brandishing nooses in a symbol of their support for the death penalty.

In the later speech to thousands outside parliament in Ankara which was bombed by warplanes that night, Erdogan declaimed “our nation showed the whole world what a nation we are on July 15.”

Two hundred and forty nine people, not including the plotters, were killed when a disgruntled faction of the army sent tanks into the streets and war planes into the sky in a bid to overthrow Erdogan after one-and-a-half decades in power.

But they were thwarted within hours as the authorities regrouped and people poured into the streets in support of Erdogan, who blamed followers of his ally-turned-nemesis, the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen.

“Did my citizens have weapons? They had their flags like today but they had a more efficient weapon: their faith,” Erdogan said in Istanbul.

Murat, an Erdogan supporter at the Ankara rally, said: “If that happened once more, I would stay out again. That night, it was like a war. We take ownership of this country and this people.”

In the wake of the failed coup bid, authorities embarked on the biggest purge in Turkey's history, arresting 50 000 people and sacking almost three times as many. Erdogan also shored up his position by winning a referendum on enhancing his powers earlier this year.

In the latest dismissals, another 7 563 police, soldiers and other state employees were fired late Friday under the state of emergency that has been in place since July 20 last year.

Erdogan said a decision would be made on Monday over whether to recommend extending the emergency by another three months.

Turkey's opposition had put political disputes aside on the night of the putsch but the scale of the purge has intensified political divisions.

The celebrations come less than a week after the head of the Republican People's Party (CHP) Kemal Kilicdaroglu held the largest opposition rally in Turkey in years, pushing for “justice” in a move that irked Erdogan.

“Over the last year, the judicial proceedings... moved outside the framework of the law,” Kilicdaroglu told the special session of parliament.

He also called for full clarity over what happened on the night of July 15, with questions still remaining over when the authorities first found out an uprising was afoot.

But Erdogan angrily slammed as an “immorality” opposition claims of a “controlled coup” which the authorities had known about in advance and then taken advantage of.

Gulen has always denied involvement and in a new statement Friday said the accusations were “baseless, politically motivated slanders” and slammed a “witch hunt” of Erdogan's critics.

NAMPA/AFP

Eight dead in Senegal football stadium crush

Eight people were killed during Senegal's football league cup final in Dakar on Saturday, the sports minister told AFP, as a wall collapsed onto clashing supporters triggering a panicked stampede.

Sports minister Matar Ba said a young girl was among the dead, while around 60 injured fans had been taken to health facilities in Dakar.

He vowed “strong measures so that such an event will never be repeated in Senegal,” speaking to AFP by phone.

A mass deployment of firefighters and ambulances remained at the scene late Saturday.

An AFP journalist who attended the match described a stadium full to bursting with people for the long-awaited clash between local teams US Ouakam and Stade de Mbour.

At 2-1 during extra time, US Ouakam supporters began throwing stones at Stade de Mbour fans, causing spectators to begin vacating their seats in a rush, the journalist said.

Part of a wall supporting bleachers seating fans from both sides then collapsed, while police had begun firing tear gas and panic spread in the stadium leading to a crush.

“All of a sudden when the wall fell... we knew exactly that some of our own had lost their lives because the wall fell directly onto people,” said Cheikh Maba Diop, a witness who helped evacuate victims from the stadium and lost a friend in the tragedy.

Also speaking at the scene, football fan Mara Die Diouf said policing at the stadium had been inadequate.

“What I find terrible is that we have this kind of final in this kind of stadium here where there isn't enough security,” he said.

Diouf described police retreating from an area separating the two teams' supporters once projectiles began being thrown, triggering dangerous movements by spectators unable to defend themselves.

AFP journalists at the scene saw belongings covered in blood at the site, with a pair of glasses and clothing strewn among broken pieces of concrete.

Campaigning for Senegal's legislative elections due on July 30 would on Sunday be suspended in respect for the victims, said a spokesman for President Macky Sall.

Sall also wanted “punishments serving as a warning,” following the tragedy, spokesman El Hamidou Kasse said on TFM television.

Senegal's safety record at large gatherings has been heavily criticised this year after the death of dozens of people at a religious retreat in April when a fire ripped through makeshift shelters.

NAMPA/AFP

Grace Mugabe accident: More details emerge

More details emerged yesterday of the mishap at Harare International Airport that saw First Lady Grace Mugabe sprain her ankle.

The incident occurred shortly after President Robert Mugabe and his wife landed back home on Saturday morning after a week spent in Singapore, where Mugabe had gone for his third medical check-up this year.

As usual, the presidential limousine was waiting to whisk the First Family back to their Harare mansion. But the chauffeur set off before Grace Mugabe had got in, causing her to lose her balance, the state-run Sunday Mail reports.

Shoe run over

“The sudden movement of the vehicle saw Amai (Mrs) Mugabe withdraw her foot from the car, and as she lost her balance, one shoe came off and was run over by a rear wheel,” the paper said.

Presidential spokesman George Charamba said in a statement that the First Lady was treated at a local clinic before she was discharged. Her husband, daughter and son-in-law were by her side.

“The examining doctors confirmed that she suffered no major injury,” Charamba said. “At the time of her discharge, which was about an hour later, she complained of pain from the hurt ankle.

“The First Lady is recovering at home,” he added.

Presidential motorcyclist injured

Meanwhile, the Mugabes' return was certainly incident-filled, as one of the presidential motorcade's motorcycle escorts was injured after his motorbike rammed into a vehicle along Harare's main airport road.

The Sunday Mail said the motorcyclist crashed into an Isuzu pick-up and fractured his arm. The driver of the pick-up appears to have escaped unharmed.

Motorists are forced to get off the road when they hear the sirens on the motorbikes that accompany the presidential motorcade.

NEWS24