WINDHOEK – In years gone by, Tsumeb has produced a galaxy of football greats led by the legendary Timo Mwetuyela, Honnie Ochurub, Steps Nickel, Archie Ochurub, Asser Mbai, Max Johnson, Celle Auchumeb, Kauru Bilhawer, Kapuii Angula, Hasso Ahrens, Gabes Dausab, Richard Wahl, Draka Shetekela, Nangi Nickel, Licky Gideon, Packs Ushona and lately, Slice Ouseb, Puli Subeb, Lucky Kakuva and Gerros Uri-Khob.
Even up to this day, the most famous name from that neck of the woods is without a doubt that of Times Mwetuyeala, who is held in the highest esteem throughout the country where the fast as lightning left footed goal poacher is not only remembered for his ball wizardly but as an ambassador for Tsumeb football.
Ronnie Kahuure was born in the mining town of Tsumeb in 1955, and like many other boys his age in the neigbourhood, he was a football crazy lad and would play the game at the slightest provocation. At primary school level, Ronnie was a mean competitor in the middle distance races, but football was always his first love.
The town of Tsumeb was never short of tough competition among the local football teams with the likes of Etosha Lions, Red Bees and Rangers battling out for supremacy and bragging rights. Still wet behind the ears, young Ronnie was literally thrown into the lion’s den at a fairly very young age – making his debut in topflight football in the colours of Red Bees where he played alongside Kauru Bilhawer and Ringo Kahiri.
The tallish youngster also made his presence felt at the Waterberg Primary School in the Okakarara constituency, but it was not until he landed at St Josephs Secondary School (Dobra) in 1971 that he established himself as an astute footballer.
Ronnie joined forces with hostel team Sorento Bucks FC under the stewardship of former Black Africa and African Stars’ tough tackling centre back, Kariirii Katire and the terrible Hans siblings, John and Mickey.
”The competition for starting places was very tough and I had to be satisfied with a place in the school’s second strings. Nevertheless, I learnt a lot by training under the guidance of teacher Willem Hans,” recalls Ronnie.
In the meantime, ambitious Katutura outfit, Flames FC, came sniffing around for Ronnie’s services and although the beanpole youngster’s aspirations was to feature for one of the big teams, he was persuaded by his cousin, Ringo ‘Mbaze’ Kahiru to turn out for the ambitious green and gold outfit, and as they say, the rest is history.
“In all honesty, I did not have a choice. I was obliged to turn out for Flames because the club was like a family empire. After all, Ringo was paying for my school fees and took good care of me while I was still a student”.
Meanwhile, Ronnie relocated to the city of lights, Windhoek, to further his mechanical aspirations at the Augustineum High School, and to be closer to his newly found team mates at Flames FC.
At Flames, Ronnie found himself in the company of football’s greats such as Oscar ‘Silver Fox’ Mengo, Asser Mbai, Willy Katire, Simon Nujoma, Kauru Bilhawer, Andihe Haimbondi, Albert Louw, Brown Amuenye and a horde of others who were recruited to bolster the unfashionable Katutura outfit, under the leadership of flamboyant football administrators, Darius Tjakaurua and Felix Kakuenje.
“Flames were a well-organised sports entity with probably two of the most astute administrators ever to emerge from our shores. Those two guys’ administrative acumen used to be second to none and had they lived a bit longer – domestic football could have been the chief beneficiary of their expertise since they possessed unbelievable vision. That rare knack of attracting the best available footballers in the market,” reveals Ronnie.
The combination of Tjakaurua and Kakuenje managed to achieve what was previously taboo in local football. Against all odds staked against them, the pair organised a rebel tour to Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) during the height of apartheid.
Unfortunately for Ronnie, he could not make the trip as he was hospitalised, nursing an eye injury sustained in a knockout cup match in Okahandja – jus few days before the green and gold outfit undertook the historic tour to Bulawayo in 1976.
Back at Augustineum, Ronnie joined a hostel team, comprising mainly of students from the southern part of the country, going by the name of Southern Empire FC. Some of his team-mates were Paul ‘Dusty’ April, Abraham Kukuri and John Mungunda.
“Its quite funny, I was the only dark hide player in that squad, but I must confess I had lots of fun with the boys, we had a very good squad laden with very skillful players,” chuckles Ronnie.
Unlike at Dobra where he struggled for game time in the schools’ star-studded first team – Ronnie walked straight into the Augustineum school’s first team without having to shed an ounce of sweat, partnering Boy-Boy Ndjadila, Jerry ‘Magobetzy’ Tjizoo and Benny Petrus with Japhet Isaacs, manning the sticks.
In the meantime, the lanky forward would also feature as a guest player for the notorious Kuisebmond outfit Red Fire FC, from Walvis-Bay. However, as fate would dictate, his blossoming football career came to an abrupt end when he was forced to call it quits while still at the pinnacle of his football career as a result of persistent knee injuries.
Ronnie cites exciting Kuisebmond’s outfit Explorer Eleven FC as the most difficult opponents during his playing days and says he used to enjoy the countless battles against coastal outfit Blue Waters and the two Katutura giants, African Stars and Orlando Pirates.
“In those days, Namibia had an unbelievable pool of extremely great footballers who could change the entire complexion of the match with one moment of individual brilliance.
“Its very difficult to single out any player, but the trio of Explorer Eleven’s genius, Storm Khom-Kkaiseb, Oscar Mengo (African Stars) and Black Africa’s midfield maestro, Albert Louw, were in a class of their own”.
Kambaekwa