Born and raised in the dusty streets of Orwetoveni residential area for native Bantus in the northern capital Otjiwarongo, young Kandingua was just like many ‘Pikininis’ his age in the township, football-crazy.
He would play the game at the slightest provocation – be it in the streets, on the way to schools, or while running errands at the local grocery outlet.
Upon completing his elementary education at the local primary school, Kandingua was posted to Erari (Okakarara) to further his academic aspirations at the Okakarara Secondary School – approximately 100 kilometres south-east of his native town Otjiwarongo.
In hindsight, the soft-spoken Kandingua looked like somebody who could hardly harm a fly – but wait a minute.
Just arrange the spherical object stationed in front of his well-educated Adidas togs and you will unlock a totally different personality.
Quick off the mark with great movements off the ball, Kandingua was your typical old-fashioned centre-forward – always sniffing around the penalty box.
A devastating proven goal-scorer of note, his avalanche of goals for the school football team caught the eye of the wide-awake talent scouts from ambitious Katutura youthful outfit Hungry Lions Football Club in 1980.
His arrival at the maroon and white stripe outfit galvanised the team into a major force to be reckoned with in the highly-competitive Central Football Association (CFA) second-tier league.
He netted a well-taken brace when the fired-up ‘Brave Lions of Judah’ sent African Stars’ second strings packing in an action-packed knockout cup final at the old Windhoek stadium in front of a capacity crowd.
Kandingua was amongst few highly-gifted youngsters recruited from the hugely talent-laden Okakarara Secondary School football team alongside Bernard Neumann, Immanuel ‘Fusi’ Semba and few other ‘footies’ of remarkable pedigree.
Regrettably, his lodging in the Brave Lions of Judah’s den was to be short-lived, as Kandingua was reminded about his roots, obligated to return home and lead the firing line of boyhood team ‘Kahirona’ – and as they say, the rest is history.
As it eventually turned out, the serial net-rattler became the mainstay of the Purple project’s amazing rise to stardom, banging in goals as if the art of goal-scoring was going out of fashion.
His unmatched goal-scoring prowess propelled ‘Kahirona’ to the top echelons of domestic football, culminating in the club, earning a much-deserved promotion to the newly-formed breakaway elite league, the National Super Soccer League (NSSL) in 1986.
Surrounded and guarded by greats in the shape of speedy winger Nikita Hivei, tireless box-to-box slippery midfield kingpin John ‘KK’ Kake and the silky Percy ‘Sledge’ Tjaverua, running the show in ‘Kahirona’s well-oiled engine room, Kandingua benefitted immensely from the former’s well-executed trademark defence-splitting passes.
Admittedly, filling the shoes of greats Adolf ‘Tepa’ Muirua, Immanuel ‘Marques’ Kamuserandu, Kanomora ‘Number’ Ngavetene, Gerson Kaputji Kuhanga and George Kasuto was not going to be an easy assignment – or worse still a casual stroll in the park on a Sunday afternoon.
However, Kandingua lived up to expectations, as he kept the tradition intact.
A devastating sharpshooter and clinical finisher, ‘Kahirona’s designated number nine could strike the ball fairly well from tight angles.
He was definitely up there with the very best in the business.
Kandingua’s name should be in the same conversation amongst the greatest sharpshooters of all time in the following sequence.
Gabes ‘Flying Fish’ Mupupa, Pius ‘Garrincha’ Eigowab, Wolfgang Fleischhammel, Gerros Uri-kbob, Sagarias ‘Selle’ Auchumeb, Meester Willem Hans, Richard ‘Ziggi’ Anderson, Hermann ‘Pele’ Blaschke, Jackson ‘TB’ Meroro, Kaputji Kuhanga, Daniel ‘Pieces’ Damaseb, Benjamin ‘Kleintjie’ Gaseb, Jacobus ‘Kosie’ Springbok, Rudolf ‘Tiger’ Francis, ‘Phello’ Muatunga, Steve Haihambo, Gideon ‘Pule’ Tjombe, Orlando and Steven Damaseb.
Unsubstantiated yet undisputable narrative has it that Kandingua is the highest goal-scorer in the entire history of this great institution, simply known as ‘Kahirona’ or ‘The Purple Project’.
Nowadays, a successful communal farmer, the now-retired net-buster is an exemplary athlete of substance.
Unlike retired footballers who have fallen on bad times upon retiring from playing competitive football, the brother has remained grounded and humble, respectful, never indulged in distractive social activities, such as the excessive abuse of the sacred Haya Water of Moag (‘Jwala’), let alone puffing long ‘zols’ or ‘foes’ (smoking cigarettes), whilst maintaining a healthy distance from the irresistible attention of appetising lasses.