Former African Stars Football Club midfield general Sadrag “Zico” Tjazerua might have hogged the limelight during an illustrious football career but elder brothers the late Sigu Himeekua Ngeendepi, Kasper and Sergius Kazanduki Tjazerua, were also notable footballers in their own right. The latter was without an iota of doubt the most talented amongst the siblings as he excelled in both the football discipline and track and field athletics with distinction. Also known as “Ndukis” and “Douglas” amongst his peers, he was a formidable defender with Katutura outfit the “Brave Lions of Judah” (Hungry Lions Football Club) and played an instrumental role during the club’s historic promotion to the elite football league in 1982. Having narrowly missed out on promotion to the Central Football Association (CFA) division one league the previous season to Young Ones, the “Brave Lions of Judah” went on to an incredible unbeaten run to win promotion to the regional elite league, with Ndukis marshalling the rearguard. New Era Sport caught up with the soft-spoken multi-talented athlete as he relives his long and winding sport journey.
Born in Windhoek’s old location in 1958, exactly ten years before the forced removal to the modest Katutura residential area, Ndukis was like many other boys his age in the neigbourhood – football-crazy and would kick an inflated piece of leather at the slightest provocation.
He was founder member of non-league team Morroka Swallows Football Club, named after the famous Dube Birds and adopted the same maroon and white colours. The team competed in unofficial knockout cup “bush tournaments” in small village towns such as Groot Aub, Leonardville, Dordabis, Otjinene and Okahandja.
However, the team folded to make way for Young Terrors FC under the stewardship of head coach Eliphas “Verkeerd” Virore, aka “Takoeza” and his deputy Manfred “Manager” Murirua, aka “Molaiks”. Terrors became a household name winning several low-key knockout cup tournaments.
As it turned out, Terrors served as the unofficial feeder team for Katutura glamour football club African Stars’ second strings.
The team would fiercely compete in stake games against the equally dangerous Police Camp outfit, spearheaded by the free- scoring nimble-footed Nicodemus brothers Haimbili (Cha-Cha) Pro and Foresta, Mike Haimbodi, Bloffie Ngaizuvare, Nandos, Elliona and many others.
Next door, Hungry Lions Football Club were making serious inroads in the Central tier two league – offering would-be defectors from Terrors the ideal opportunity to test their skills in organized football structures.
Ndukis and boyhood buddies Billy Tuahepa, Jackson Meroro, Fusi Semba, Hauii Kamaundju were all lured to the lions’ den and as they say, the rest is history. The fast galloping central defender went on to further his education aspirations at the Okakarara Secondary School in the vastly populated Otjozondjupa region.
He was to become the rock of the school’s football team, playing alongside other notable young footballers that included the Life Fighters trio of Five Kandingua, Bennet Haimbodi and Moses Mbai.
“We managed to assemble a very strong team – our school team was very competitive. I remember playing against St Joseph’s Secondary School (Dobra) featuring the hard-galloping Frans Kazimbu and other highly gifted footballers from Black Africa,” recalls Ndukis.
A jack of all trades, Ndukis also made his mark on the athletics track as a noted sprinter, excelling in the 100, 200 and 400-metre sprints.
Back home in the city of bright lights (Windhoek) Ndukis would form the spine of Hungry Lions FC, partnering the big frame Manuel Mendos, Kandjambi Veseevete, Kauhetjii Muvangua and Muinjoo Kotjipati in the Lions’ watertight rearguard.
Ndukis won almost every available piece of silverware there was to be won that came with historical victories in towns such as Gobabis and Okakarara.
The fast as lightning central defender played a pivotal role when the brave “Lions of Judah” defeated the Celle Auchumeb-led Chief Santos FC hands down in the final of the annual Easter knockout cup at the SKW stadium in 1984.
The maroon and white outfit triumphed 1-0 through Justice Basson’s solitary goal. He will be best remembered for bottling former Sorento Bucks FC fast as lightning striker Pablo Wermann in the final of a knockout cup in Gobabis.
Wermann was playing for his home team Desert Rollers Football Club alongside elder brother Atab in goals. The visiting Lions won on penalties. He was also on the winning side when the Lions defeated Black Africa’s second strings 2-0 in the final of a knockout cup tourney at the packed to rafters SKW stadium in 1982.