Namibia’s long history with South African football

Namibia has a long history of sending top footballers to the South African topflight, including as early as the early 1970s when Herman 'Pele' Blaschke was a star for newly formed Kaizer Chiefs.

He was one of several players from what was then South West Africa to grace the local league, with Hendrick Hardley setting a South African record that has yet to be broken when he scored nine goals for Lamontville Golden Arrows as they beat Richmond Junior Aces 14-0 in the 1977 Mainstay Cup.

Namibian players would later become popular in the late 1990s, not least for their undoubted skill and tough exterior, but also the fact that could be registered as locals and so as not to take up a precious ‘foreigner’ spot.

That was due to the fact that any player born in what was then South African-administered South West Africa, and before Namibian independence in 1990, was deemed a citizen of the country and could get a passport.

Former Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Ronnie Kanalelo was among the first Namibian to play in the Premier Soccer League era, signing for The Brazilians in the 1997-98 campaign.

He would go on to spend seven years at Chloorkop, initially as understudy to John Tlale and others before he took the gloves as first choice in the 2002-03 season, but then just as quickly lost them for the next campaign.

Also signing in the 1997-98 season was nuggety midfielder Ricardo Mannetti, who would later have success as national team coach, leading Namibia to the COSAFA Cup title in 2015 and the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations finals.

He made 123 starts for Cape Town side Santos over eight seasons and was a hugely reliable campaigner.

Those two persuaded Kaizer Chiefs to enter the Namibian market and they signed a pair of players