🇳🇦NamibiaSouthern Africa
Namibia's national volleyball teams return to international competition after 15-year absence
via The Namibian4 min read
Namibia's men's and women's national volleyball teams are set to compete internationally for the first time in approximately 15 years at the CAVB Zone VI Senior LA28 Olympic Games Qualifiers in Harare, Zimbabwe, from June 7 to 14. This tournament is a crucial step towards the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games and signifies a major revival for the country's national volleyball program. According to Joel Matthews, Namibia Volleyball Federation NVF national team project head and head coach, the country has not had an active national volleyball team for over a decade, with its last international participation in 2014. The federation attributes this return to the progress made in developing regional leagues and the MTC Volleyball National League, which has expanded the talent pool. The men's squad includes experienced players like Simon Ekandjo and David Nashongo, while the women's side features Matheus Albertina and Naemi Amunyela. The qualifiers offer an opportunity for Namibia to assess its progress against strong southern African nations and pursue a spot in the next Olympic qualification stage. Matthews stated that preparations began on May 15, with the initial 18-player training squad reduced to a final 14 players for each team. The coaching staff has focused on player conditioning and integrating athletes from various clubs into a unified national team system. Despite the long absence, Namibia aims for a top-two finish to advance to the next qualification round. The federation
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
The CEO of Telecom Namibia, Stanley Shanapinda, has been appointed to a regional executive position following a competitive recruitment process. In this new role, Shanapinda will lead an organization focused on promoting regulatory harmonization and cooperation among communication regulators within the Southern African Development Community. This appointment is seen as a significant career advancement for Shanapinda and is expected to enhance Namibia's influence in the regional telecommunications and information communication technology sector. Telecom Namibia's spokesperson, Nomvula Kambinda, confirmed the appointment, and Information and Communication Technology Minister Emma Theofelus stated that a new chief executive for Telecom Namibia will be recruited after the company's new board of directors begins on June 3. Shanapinda, who has served as Telecom Namibia's chief executive since 2021, expressed pride in the company's progress during his six-year tenure and looks forward to contributing to digital transformation and regulatory cooperation across southern Africa in his new capacity. Telecom Namibia's board welcomed the appointment, viewing it as a reflection of Namibia's increasing contribution to regional telecommunications and ICT leadership.
New Zealand's national football team experienced a "really disappointing" 4-0 loss to Haiti in a World Cup warm-up match in Florida. The game, delayed by lightning, saw Haiti take the lead after 12 minutes with a goal from Ruben Providence. Following halftime, Lenny Joseph, Frantzdy Pierrot, and Duke Lacroix added to Haiti's score. This defeat marks New Zealand's heaviest loss in nine years, occurring just over a week before the World Cup in North America and ahead of a friendly against England. Coach Darren Bazeley acknowledged the similar statistics in possession and chances but stated, "we can’t hide behind a scoreline that’s 4-0." New Zealand, who have not won a game in their two previous World Cup appearances, are in Group G with Iran, Egypt, and Belgium. Haiti, returning to the World Cup for the first time since 1974, is in Group C with Brazil, Morocco, and Scotland.
Namibia's junior cyclists demonstrated exceptional performance at the Africa Mountain Bike Championships in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, securing numerous medals. The Thiel siblings, Marco and Rosemarie, were prominent, each earning two gold medals, contributing to Namibia's total of eight gold medals. In the junior boys' short track race, Namibia claimed the top four positions, with Marco Thiel winning gold, Christiaan van der Westhuizen silver, and Sean Lowe bronze. Rosemarie Thiel dominated the junior women's short track race, finishing significantly ahead of her competitors. The cross country MTB race saw a repeat performance in the junior men's category, with Marco Thiel again taking gold, Lowe silver, and Van der Westhuizen bronze. Rosemarie Thiel also secured her second gold medal in the junior women's cross country race. South Africa did not participate in the junior categories but excelled in the men's elite category, with Luke Moir winning gold. Stacey Hislop of Zimbabwe won the women's elite race. Namibian team coach Hans du Toit praised the team's performance under challenging conditions, highlighting the Thiel siblings' achievements and the team's overall cohesion. He also mentioned that Namibia's junior cyclists are set to compete in the South African XCO Cup series, with potential qualification for the world championships in Italy later this year.
Must ReadPresident Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged a stronger government response to migration issues while cautioning against xenophobia and vigilantism, as anti-foreigner protests spread across South Africa. Protests targeting foreigners have occurred in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape, with incidents including the targeting of homes and looting of shops. Speaking during the Presidency Budget Vote in Parliament on Tuesday, June 2, Ramaphosa outlined plans to strengthen immigration enforcement, emphasizing the need to address illegal migration which he stated can strain public services and hinder job creation efforts. He also stressed the importance of upholding the law and human dignity for all individuals in South Africa, regardless of their nationality, and condemned violence, xenophobia, and vigilantism. These comments come as surveys indicate a rise in anti-foreigner sentiment since the Covid-19 pandemic, with 42% of respondents in a Human Sciences Research Council HSRC survey stating they would not welcome any immigrants. The HSRC data from 2025 shows hostility towards immigrants is at its highest since 2003, with immigrants increasingly perceived as an economic threat and associated with crime. Human Rights Watch researcher Nomathamsanqa Masiko-Mpaka highlighted that while the right to protest is protected, it does not permit violence, and called for accountability for vigilante groups. Recently, nearly 300 Ghanaians reportedly fled South Africa due to xenophobic tens