Ready to serve with honour

Ready to serve with honourMengo preaches harmony The new members hope to run the board in a harmonised way. Jesse Jackson Kauraisa







Windhoek

New chairperson of the Namibia Professional Boxing and Wrestling Control Board (NPBWBC) Magreth Mengo has her sights set on ensuring that the board does not experience infighting and resignations like the previous one.

Mengo was speaking at the official unveiling of the new board, which will serve for the next three years.

Jason Naule (boxing), Sebastian Shatuleni (doctor), Veruschka de Le Harpe (lawyer) and Irene Sheba (finance) are among those who will serve with Mengo.

“I believe it is important that we adhere to principles which are accountability and honesty.

“I also believe in concern to communication; I think communication and honesty are vital principles one needs to adhere to as a board.

“Consistency and treating all the promoters and partners equally will be critical in the new board’s operations,” Mengo said.

Troubled waters

Problems at the previous board began last year after one of its members, Trevor Mills, tendered his resignation.

Mills’ resignation was followed by that of lawyer Saima Nghihalwa and Maria Pogisho.

Appointed in October 2019, the former board members’ term was due to run for three years.

The board was, however, deemed unfit to run the affairs of boxing after remaining with only two members.

This resulted in former chairperson Bernard Haufiku calling for its dissolvement, which sports minister Agnes Tjongarero eventually agreed to.



Act needs to change

Tjongarero congratulated the members on their appointment and encouraged them to get working in order to bring positive changes.

One of the immediate things the minister encouraged the board to do is to get the ball rolling as far as changing the Boxing Act is concerned.

She said she hopes the board will also work well with all the promoters and stakeholders.

“The boxing act is ancient. In the ministry, we are busy amending the Sport Act and I would love the new board to also connect with those responsible for the amendment, so that you can put whatever you want to be in this Act also.

“Please get your act together so that you can have an Act which talks to the times that we are in now,” Tjongarero said.

‘We don’t want problems’

The minister further advised the new board members to adhere to legal boundaries at all times.

She said she believes the board will only be able to fulfil its mandate when the members work with principles.

“When you go out of your lane, it causes problems and we do not want problems.

“The boxing board had issues in the past and it was because members did not stay in their lanes, so please do that.”