The Namibian Bill of Rights clearly dictates that everyone is equal before the law and reserves the right for equal protection/treatment, including inherent dignity and the right to have that particular dignity respected at all times, be it socially or otherwise.
Former Flying Eagles, Orlando Pirates, and Eleven Arrows football clubs’ versatile flying winger, one Petrus ‘Armpie’ Afrikaner, a highly respected teacher by profession, had to often endure unjustified and shameless emotional abuse during his playing career.
The football-playing teacher was made a symbolic target and constantly mocked by uninformed thugs, masquerading as football fans in a country where people with disabilities are more than often treated as second-class citizens, so to speak.
And to rub salt to the wound, some of the opposing players made it their sole beat to provoke Bro Armpie at the slightest provocation, constantly signalling or challenging him to assume the duties of throw-ins, knowing very well that was a no-go-area for the speedy forward, who had the lower part of his right arm amputated.
Nonetheless, the well-read retired footie and proud holder of a degree in education managed to weather the storm, putting his distracters to shame by expertly manufacturing excellent performances on the field week in and week out.
New Era Sport caught up with the well-spoken retired educator, taking you, our esteemed reader, through his amazing football path, and how he lost the use of his right hand in a freak accident whilst working in a poorly equipped local butchery aged 13, as well as overcoming the loss of his first wife to illness.