Maqonda Ndlovu

The Editor-in-Chief of The Namibian newspaper, Tangeni Amupadhi, says sports can be used as a vehicle to raise awareness about cancer.

Speaking at the launch of the 2024 Nedbank The Namibian Newspaper Cup (22nd edition), Amupadhi says his recent diagnosis of prostate cancer opened his eyes to a lack of knowledge on the disease.

“My doctor told me that prostate cancer can affect boys as young as 16 years old. Maybe we should use platforms such as the Nedbank Namibia Newspaper Cup to raise awareness of prostate cancer, breast cancer and cervical cancer. Our society needs to become more physically active,” he said.

He added that physical health is something that is taken for granted, as people know about it, but do not purposefully worry about it.

There is thus a need to plant the seed of physical activity in children from a young age.

“A lot of us are unaware of the signs of various types of cancer from a young age. It is important to get our young people to think about their sexual and reproductive health, hence my call to use this platform to raise awareness of these cancers. Some of them may be due to sedentary lifestyles, which does not mean we are lazy,” Amupadhi noted.

Meanwhile, the 2024 Nedbank Namibia Newspaper Cup was officially launched yesterday at the Nedbank head offices in Windhoek, with the deputy minister of Sport, Youth and National Service Emma Kantema-Gaomas, saying the tournament is pivotal in developing future talent for the national netball and football teams.

“The tournament is more than just football and netball spectacles; it’s an extraordinary event that unites our people, builds teamwork, and increases resilience, which defines us as humans. The tournament helps keep our children contained on football and netball fields for four days, away from potential social ills. They focus on football and netball and develop their talents, which helps them to represent the country as Brave Warriors and Desert Roses,” she added.

Speaking at the same occasion, the governor of the host region Omaheke, Pijoo Nganate, said they were ready to host the four-day event.

“We stand firm behind the organisers and sponsors that we will deliver an incredible 22nd edition of the Nedbank Namibia Newspaper Cup. We are aware of the task ahead of us in improving our infrastructure, and are busy working around the clock to ensure everything is in place when the tournament kicks off,” he stated assuredly.

As the main sponsor, Nedbank Namibia’s managing director Martha Murorua said they are proud to be associated with the country’s top netball and football development tournament, which unites young athletes from the 14 regions of the country.

“This event embodies the spirit of unity, and the passion of our youth. The tournament will provide an opportunity to celebrate young talent, with scouts working hard to select the best young athletes,” she enthused.

The tournament is scheduled for 29 March to 1 April at the Legare Stadium in Gobabis. It will be used to select national players for the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Games. Nedbank Namibia returns as the main sponsor after a six-year absence. 

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