Unlike dozens of his peers from the far north-west Kunene region, August Uzuva Howard ‘James’ Pekaha was not delivered from his old lady’s womb under the shades of trees, or in some cow dung-constructed dwelling.
The calculated brother made his appearance on mother planet in a slightly more civilised fashion at the Orumana Mission makeshift Health Establishment on 17February 1965. An upright young fellah of decent upbringing, well-spoken, mild- mannered, forever respectful towards elders and those he mingled with, James was destined for greatness from his early childhood.
He started his elementary tuition at Orumana Mission Primary School until grade seven. His next stop was the Augustineum Training College in the city of bright lights (Windhoek), via Opuwo High School in his native Kaokoland. James was introduced to the tough and demanding rigours of leather trading at an early age by his brother, noted international boxer Hiskia Swarts-Katjitae.
The latter took his protégé through the ropes about the latest techniques on how to unleash punches, and protection. During the school’s vacation, young James would travel to the booming mining town Arandis, sandwiched between the amazing long- stretched Erongo Mountains and the giant freezing Atlantic Ocean to visit his extended family. During one of the visits to Arandis, he met homeboy Abiud Kanambunga, a well-established leather trader in the heavyweight division. James’ interest in trading blows in organised structures started to intensify, and in no time, the quick-knuckled rookie boxer was crowned national champion in the junior light- heavyweight division on his first attempt in 1983. The hard-punching James announced his arrival at the big stage by sweeping his opponents aside with devastating body blows during the national boxing championship in Walvis Bay. James was amongst six of the best leather traders selected to represent South West Africa (SWA/Namibia) at the Free State Midlands Amateur Boxing Federation Championship.
The six-man team consisted of James Pekaha (lightweight), Francis Mukanwa (flyweight), Abiud Kanambunga (light- heavyweight), Ben Awoseb (middleweight), Martin Lusse (light-welterweight), and Andre Bouwer (light-heavyweight).
Subsequently, the hard-hitting Namibian fought in the South African Inter-Provincial Amateur Boxing Championship across the Orange River in Durban, where he came out unscathed. Tellingly, just a year after being crowned national champion in the junior- lightweight category, the boy from the great Kunene region stepped up the ladder, and won the national light-heavyweight title hands down.
Without a shadow of doubt, James was the shining jewel in an era which produced great talent in the junior division, with emerging boxers shepherded by Erastus ‘Tjibox’ Kambauruma, Issaskar Kamukuyu, Isaac Mbamba, Dawid ‘Chicken’ Kasaona and Kumbasara all making waves from various boxing stables.
With the passing of time, James was duly elevated to the senior light-welterweight division due to insignificant competition in the junior category. Back in the day, boxing was very popular among the local folks, propelling tournaments to be held regularly in almost every region.
This particular sporting discipline took center-stage at various towns and schools, with Cornelius Goreseb (Khorixas), Walvis Bay, Arandis, Oranjemund, Luderitz, Keetmanshoop, Tsumeb and Windhoek all playing host to these well-attended boxing bonanzas. A devastating mean puncher blessed with a deadly right hook, complemented by a dangerous combination of well-executed uppercuts, James boasts a flawless resume of 152 knockouts from the same number of bouts in the boxing ring in a career stretching over a decade.
Outside the boxing ring, the cool-as- cucumber bookish fellah studied Broadcast Communication at the revered New York City University, worked for the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) as a freelance journalist, and correspondent for Voice of America.
The now-retired, multitalented boxer-cum-well-read bloke also later served as the designated boxing commentator and analyst for the national broadcaster (NBC), and occupied various high-profile portfolios in the corporate space in the following sequence; Employed by the Namibia Red Cross as health facilitator, Master Trainer for Women’s Action for Development (WAD), incumbent ‘murse’ (male nurse) at the Katutura State Health Establishment, as well as part-time farmer, specialising in small livestock breeding (goats/sheep).
Respectfully, it’s the long and winding, often thorny journey of a raw village boy from a severely-disadvantaged community defying the odds to conquer previously-unchartered territory with determination and a certain degree of unbelievable confidence.
James is by a decent stretch an inspiration for many aspiring youngsters, and surely worth the candle emulating. His journey should be cherished and preserved at all costs, on top of being amongst a handful imports from the remote Kaokoland who courageously took the bull by the horn defying the odds stacked against them by claiming their rightful place in the sun in their ancestral Land of the Brave.
Other athletes of remarkable pedigree who spring to mind from that neck of the woods are Abiud Kanambunga, Erastus Kambauruma, Dawid ‘Chicken’ Kasaona, Bernard Mumbuu, Theodor Thom, George Kanambunga, Tinkler Kahua, Mami Kasaona and the football-playing fraternal twins Tara and Muna Katupose.