Justicia Shipena
The General Manager of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Youth Games, Jacqueline Gertze, says the City of Windhoek will play a key role in the success of the event.
Gertze said the city’s support with transport, emergency services, safety, waste management, and environmental health is vital to delivering a world-class Games.
She made the remarks during a courtesy visit to the Mayor of Windhoek, Ndeshihafela Larandja, on Thursday.
The LOC updated the mayor on preparations for the 11th edition of the Region 5 Youth Games, which will take place from 4 to 13 July 2025 in Windhoek.
The Games will host 2,552 athletes and officials from 10 Southern African countries.
Competitions will take place in 12 sports codes, including football, netball, volleyball, swimming, tennis, basketball, and boxing.
Mayor Larandja welcomed the LOC and assured them of the city’s full support.
She said Windhoek is ready to help deliver an event that the capital and the region can be proud of.
Meanwhile, AUSC Region 5 held a classification workshop for visually impaired athletes this week in Gaborone, Botswana.
The workshop trained optometrists and technical officials as the region steps up preparations for the Games in Namibia.
Led by Ugandan classification specialist Joseph Sebwana, the workshop focused on fair and evidence-based classification of visually impaired athletes.
“We’ve taken a major step forward in levelling the playing field,” said Sebwana. “This workshop wasn’t just about technical standards; it was about recognising talent, ensuring fair representation, and building systems that respect every athlete’s right to compete.”
Participants shared knowledge and aligned on assessment protocols.
They engaged in practical sessions and exchanged best practices.
“We covered key areas from athlete identification to assessment protocols,” Sebwana said. “The enthusiasm and professionalism from participants show that this region is ready to lead on inclusion.”
The workshop took place ahead of the Final Entry by Name (FEN) deadline on 30 April 2025, marking an important step in technical preparations for the Games.
AUSC Region 5 CEO Stanley Mutoya praised the effort.
“This is how we ensure no athlete is left behind. We’re proud to build capacity that enables all athletes, regardless of ability, to compete on fair and empowering terms.”
The workshop forms part of Region 5’s wider inclusion strategy.
This year’s Games will, for the first time, feature Special Olympics competitions.
An inter-ministerial forum on inclusion will also take place during the games to align government policy on disability and sport across the region.
