How Motsepe courted NFA

Limba MupetamiWindhoekNamibia Football Associations (NFA) Ranga Haikali said he had a conversation with the incoming Caf President Patrice Motsepe who asked him to make football recommendations for Africa.Haikali said Motsepe told him that he wants to see 10 more Peter Shalulile' s coming from Namibia and that he wants to not only better infrastructure in Namibia but the whole of Africa, thus building at least one stadium according to Fifa standards in each country. Motsepe's other plans include introducing video assistant referees, better TV broadcasting of African matches and working on hosting the Africa Cup of Nations every two years.The promised progress in Namibian football doesn't impress the Progressive Forces (PF) who despite saying that they don't want Haikali out, want to control him.The bigger pictureHaikali was speaking to this journalist enroute to the Caf Presidental elections to be held on Friday in Morocco and thus answered the glaring issue of relationships turning sour and explained why his so-called brothers have turned against him after so much effort was made to land him the seat. Last year, the latter went to bed with the 'devil' in this case, PF members made up of former footballers and club owners, a decision which has come to haunt him.The progresive forces are allegedly fixed on remote controlling Haikali who is adamant to not stand for that kind of hold. The PF, according to Haikali, also have a branch called the PF-Office. According to him, they are the brains behind the drafted letters which the secretary-general Franco Cosmos signs off.Cosmos is also accused by Haikali of having orchestrated a plan to put a PF member as a chief marketing officer. Haikali said he has proof that Cosmos last year (12 December) created a post seeking for a chief marketing officer and on the 16 closed the application and apparently had interviews during the time in which he was in isolation due to Covid-19. In January Cosmos made recommendations on a Whatsapp group for the PF member to be hired. “Who chaired this interview – no one. Our integrity is at stake,” said Haikali. It is understood that the SG is now no longer allowed to sign off paymens above N$50 000.They won't succeedHe said the PF has since last year attempted to overthrow him due to the fact that he doesn't agree with some of their moves and the way they want things to be done.He acknowledged that they voted him into power but the agreement was that he does football justice. However, one issue which recently irked the PF was the fact that Haikali attended the Cosafa Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 21 February alone. At the meeting, deliberations were made by Cosafa members to back billionaire Motsepe to take the Caf seat on the grounds that he is a “son of the region”.Listen to usOn the Sport Wrap show, Namibian Sun's broadcast edition, Young African Football Club's owner Mali Ngarizemo who also belongs to the PF alleged that Haikali without consulting his executive members went ahead and added Namibia's vote to Motsepe's cause.Ngarizemo said Haikali does not listen to advise or follow the constitution and does what he wants. This, he said will put the football association back to a chaotic square where it was a few years back under the leadership of former president Frans Mbidi and then secretary-general Barry Rukoro. Thus, “the problem is the president talks to so many people and sees the PF as outsiders. But they delivered him to the seat following meetings at his farm, Okondjima,” said Ngarizemo.“He, however, added that there is still confidence in Haikali and that he still has time to familiarise himself with the constitution.No one voted for MotsepeHaikali refuted and said that the decision as to who Namibia will back was already made last year, together with the exco on the basis of Ahmed Ahmed's continuity.Ahmed, who was found to have committed four breaches of the ethics code, received a fine in addition of his ban, was reinstated briefly and after deliberations his five-year ban was cut to two years, whic prevents him from seeking re-election. However, during the process of Ahmed's dealings, Fifa had already made up their mind as to backing Motsepe and so did Cosafa members, who used their AGM to discuss the candidates and an agreement being secured after Fifa president Gianni Infantino conducting meetings with the candidates.The candidates who decided to step down, accepting vice-president positions. to make way for Mostepe – no voting took place as the latter stands unopposed.Leaking disrupts talks“When I was called to a meeting to propose the candidates I was already on holiday in Johannesburg with my family. I wrote a letter to the Whatsapp group where all the executives are, informing them of this. It was decided that only the presidents of associations will go in order to cut cost (hence the reason why the vice-president Isak Frederick's couldn't make it) and the rest will call in, I was already in the country so. The exco encouraged me to attend and to inform about what was discussed.This was done on the exco Whatsapp group. Where did Ngarizemo get this information, he is not an exco member,” asked Haikali.He further said that the constitution gives him the authority to deal in matters of Fifa, Cosafa and Caf, “why must I get a mandate to represent Namibia? Since last year, they have been pushing to get Fredericks to take my seat. I will not be remote controlled, I'm here to represent football not just the PF,” said Haikali.

How Motsepe courted NFA

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Namibian Sun 2025-08-06

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How Motsepe courted NFA

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Namibian Sun 2025-08-06

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