NPL members to be invited to congress
Jesse Jackson Kauraisa
Fifa normalisation committee (NC) legal representative Sisa Namandje yesterday told the Supreme Court that his clients are willing to invite suspended Namibia Premier League members to the Namibia Football Association congress.
Namandje said this during court proceedings between the Namibia Premier League (NPL) and the NC.
Justice Dave Smuts reserved judgement on the case to a date yet to be confirmed.
The NPL resorted to the Supreme Court to seek jurisdiction after their High Court case was dismissed last November. They had made an urgent application to be reinstated by the Namibia Football Association (NFA). The NPL also wanted a halt on an NFA extraordinary congress, which eventually took place.
NPL’s legal representative Advocate William Mokhare argued that the dismissed application had merits.
He therefore asked the Supreme Court to uphold the appeal and refer the case back to the High Court for further arguments.
Namandje however submitted that the case has no merits given that his clients acted within the NFA constitution when they suspended the NPL.
It was also argued by the respondents that the NPL could have gone to the Court of Arbitration for Sport rather than bringing football disputes into ordinary courts.
Mokhare however said because there was no tribunal set by the NFA, his clients had no other option but to approach ordinary courts.
He questioned the legality of the suspension and the fact that the NFA extraordinary congress took place without the NPL’s suspension on the agenda.
The advocate further argued that his clients are not invited to the next NFA congress, set to take place on 22 February.
Namandje however noted that an invitation will be sent before the congress.
Football analyst and labour consultant Olsen Kahiriri felt both arguments were strong.
“When you look at the submissions of today, the Supreme Court judges have a huge decision to make on the whether this case will be referred back to the High Court.
“What was very interesting is that the judges themselves were asking why the parties could not find an alternative to resolve this issue in the interest of the public.
“The judges also believe that this issue can drag on for another three years because whoever loses here will still come back to the Supreme Court,” Kahiriri said.
NPL chairman Patrick Kauta said: “I am confident that our representative made valid arguments and the court will take that into consideration.
“We will do the best for the country and for football at large. Our aim is to start football by March.”
Chairperson of the NC Hilda Basson-Namundjebo was also confident.
“We believe in the merits of our case and it was good to hear the issues being ventilated today.
“I think this is good in the interest of the collective and we hope that justice will prevail,” she said.
Fifa normalisation committee (NC) legal representative Sisa Namandje yesterday told the Supreme Court that his clients are willing to invite suspended Namibia Premier League members to the Namibia Football Association congress.
Namandje said this during court proceedings between the Namibia Premier League (NPL) and the NC.
Justice Dave Smuts reserved judgement on the case to a date yet to be confirmed.
The NPL resorted to the Supreme Court to seek jurisdiction after their High Court case was dismissed last November. They had made an urgent application to be reinstated by the Namibia Football Association (NFA). The NPL also wanted a halt on an NFA extraordinary congress, which eventually took place.
NPL’s legal representative Advocate William Mokhare argued that the dismissed application had merits.
He therefore asked the Supreme Court to uphold the appeal and refer the case back to the High Court for further arguments.
Namandje however submitted that the case has no merits given that his clients acted within the NFA constitution when they suspended the NPL.
It was also argued by the respondents that the NPL could have gone to the Court of Arbitration for Sport rather than bringing football disputes into ordinary courts.
Mokhare however said because there was no tribunal set by the NFA, his clients had no other option but to approach ordinary courts.
He questioned the legality of the suspension and the fact that the NFA extraordinary congress took place without the NPL’s suspension on the agenda.
The advocate further argued that his clients are not invited to the next NFA congress, set to take place on 22 February.
Namandje however noted that an invitation will be sent before the congress.
Football analyst and labour consultant Olsen Kahiriri felt both arguments were strong.
“When you look at the submissions of today, the Supreme Court judges have a huge decision to make on the whether this case will be referred back to the High Court.
“What was very interesting is that the judges themselves were asking why the parties could not find an alternative to resolve this issue in the interest of the public.
“The judges also believe that this issue can drag on for another three years because whoever loses here will still come back to the Supreme Court,” Kahiriri said.
NPL chairman Patrick Kauta said: “I am confident that our representative made valid arguments and the court will take that into consideration.
“We will do the best for the country and for football at large. Our aim is to start football by March.”
Chairperson of the NC Hilda Basson-Namundjebo was also confident.
“We believe in the merits of our case and it was good to hear the issues being ventilated today.
“I think this is good in the interest of the collective and we hope that justice will prevail,” she said.
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