A new chapter in the Namibian sports leadership was heralded on Saturday afternoon as Namibians celebrate the appointment of Sanet Steenkamp as the Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture, alongside Dino Ballotti as her deputy.
The appointments were made by the newly-elected President, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, at a ceremony held at State House.
In a statement, the Namibia Sports Commission expressed its congratulations to both Steenkamp and Ballotti, acknowledging the significance of their appointments. The commission emphasised that their leadership would bring much-needed transformative growth and inspiration to the critical sectors of sport, youth, education and culture.
This sentiment was echoed by various institutions, including Netball Namibia, Ongos Valley, Bucks Buccaneers and Julinho Athletic Football Club, all of which sent warm congratulatory messages to the new ministers. These organisations recognised the monumental task ahead of Steenkamp and Ballotti, as they would oversee the merging of three vital ministries – a challenge Steenkamp herself acknowledged following her appointment.
Servant of the people
“I am an ordinary servant of the people, and will continue to be. I wish to state that this is a consolidation of three key ministries. All of these ministries have their own mandates, and my first priority is to meet with the leadership of these departments to understand their needs and take it from there,” said Steenkamp, who was previously the executive director of the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture.
She emphasised the clarity of her appointment letter, which outlined 30 specific deliverables. “I look forward to working with the executive directors, all the technical teams, and staff, as well as collaborating with Honourable Ballotti,” she said.
Reflecting on the merger of the ministries, Steenkamp acknowledged the strategic vision set by the President Nandi-Ndaitwah. She noted, “It will not be easy; it will be challenging. However, all the ministries already have their own visions and strategic plans that align with the manifesto we all signed for.”
Her background reflects her deep commitment to education and leadership. Before her appointment, she was instrumental in driving inclusive education policies and addressing challenges such as teacher shortages and curriculum reform.
She holds a master’s degree in education leadership and management from Rhodes University and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in the same field.
Man focused on youth empowerment
Her deputy, Ballotti, brings a wealth of experience in business and entrepreneurship to his new role. Prior to his appointment, Ballotti served as the Head of Business and Public Sector Banking at First National Bank Namibia, where he focused on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and innovation. He also held the position of Executive Director of MSME Innovation and Acceleration at the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board.
Ballotti’s extensive background in business development and innovation is expected to contribute significantly to the revitalisation of the sports and youth sectors. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurial Studies and expressed his excitement and commitment to his new role. “It’s a privilege and honour to be considered by Her Excellency. My first deliverable will be to sit down with my minister and determine our action plan and the roadmap for our first 100 days in office. We need to hit the ground running,” he said. His priorities are clear: young people and sport. “I am looking forward to supporting the minister in this new role,” he added. He also shared the surprise he felt when receiving the call from the President at 6h00. “It was a pleasant surprise to see Her Excellency’s name on my phone,” he said, reflecting on the significance of the appointment.
In addition to his professional achievements, Ballotti had a significant role in football, having served as the chairperson of the Premier League club Julinho Athletic FC. He yesterday publicly relinquished his position with the club to focus on his ministerial duties, but not before expressing his gratitude for the experience. “It has been a fantastic journey, helping grow the brand and working towards commercialising a project that has no end. We were able to grow our team, based in Kavango East, into a professional club,” he said.
Ballotti reminisced about some of the club’s proudest moments, including securing both the Women’s Premiership and Futsal Premiership titles, and establishing strong partnerships with an academy that feeds into their Premiership structures. “Julinho Athletic now boasts nine structures and more than 550 players. I am incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished, fondly recalling the thrilling home wins against African Stars and Eeshoke. He added that the intense final game of last season against Okakarara Young Warriors would forever be etched in his memory as one of the most stressful experiences of his life.
Despite stepping down from his role at Julinho, Ballotti expressed his deep appreciation for the club’s growth and success. “Nothing great can ever be achieved in isolation,” he said, praising the club’s leadership for fostering a culture of development and professional growth. “Every young player, both male and female, can now dream and work towards achieving their goals through the structures of our club.”
-lmupetami@nepc.com.na
Photo: Aletta Shikololo