Conradie back in NRU hot seat

DIRK Conradie has been re-elected as President of the Namibia Rugby Union on Saturday but he will have to be content with sharing the presidency with James Camm.

In what seems like a compromise arrangement, the NRU’s constitution which previously only made provision for one president, was amended to accommodate James Camm at the helm of the union. Conradie resigned as NRU President in May this year after some affiliate clubs called for his head to roll.He, however, stood for re-election at Saturday’s congress which was attended by 16 of the 21 NRU members.After he retained his position with an overwhelming show of support, Conradie said he was happy to be back in the rugby hot seat.He told Nampa that he was back in the position because of the trust that the majority of clubs (NRU members) have in him.The first three rounds of voting at the annual general meeting ended in deadlock, resulting in the meeting rather voting on a proposal to have a joint presidency.Although the joint presidency proposal was accepted by a majority vote, the NRU’s constitution also went through surgery to make the proposal legal and binding on all members of the union.After those amendments were cemented the meeting then moved to elect the union’s vice president and three additional members.The new vice president is Andrew Vergotine of Reho Falcons while Wulfram Henckert, Clifford Negongo, Rony Reith, Allister Carolisen and Frikkie Jordaan make up the rest of the executive committee.One position on the executive is still to be filled.Conradie, Camm and their new team of NRU leaders will now have to set a date for an extra-ordinary congress to discuss, amongst others, the constitution as well as the 2002/2003 financial statements.The extra-ordinary congress will also discuss the amendment of the term of office of the two presidents from three years to four or five years.After Conradie stood down as rugby boss in May, the National Sports Commission (NSC), whose office is just a stone’s throw away from that of the NRU, took over the day to day running of rugby in the country.The NSC’s Callie Schafer, who is responsible for rugby, acted as interim chairman until the day of the annual general meeting.Schafer also chaired proceedings at Saturday’s elective meeting until the point where Vergotine was elected as vice president, effectively making him chairman of the meeting which reinstated Conradie into the hot seat for another testing term of three, four or five years, depending on what the extra ordinary congress would decide.- NampaConradie resigned as NRU President in May this year after some affiliate clubs called for his head to roll.He, however, stood for re-election at Saturday’s congress which was attended by 16 of the 21 NRU members.After he retained his position with an overwhelming show of support, Conradie said he was happy to be back in the rugby hot seat.He told Nampa that he was back in the position because of the trust that the majority of clubs (NRU members) have in him.The first three rounds of voting at the annual general meeting ended in deadlock, resulting in the meeting rather voting on a proposal to have a joint presidency.Although the joint presidency proposal was accepted by a majority vote, the NRU’s constitution also went through surgery to make the proposal legal and binding on all members of the union.After those amendments were cemented the meeting then moved to elect the union’s vice president and three additional members.The new vice president is Andrew Vergotine of Reho Falcons while Wulfram Henckert, Clifford Negongo, Rony Reith, Allister Carolisen and Frikkie Jordaan make up the rest of the executive committee.One position on the executive is still to be filled.Conradie, Camm and their new team of NRU leaders will now have to set a date for an extra-ordinary congress to discuss, amongst others, the constitution as well as the 2002/2003 financial statements.The extra-ordinary congress will also discuss the amendment of the term of office of the two presidents from three years to four or five years.After Conradie stood down as rugby boss in May, the National Sports Commission (NSC), whose office is just a stone’s throw away from that of the NRU, took over the day to day running of rugby in the country.The NSC’s Callie Schafer, who is responsible for rugby, acted as interim chairman until the day of the annual general meeting.Schafer also chaired proceedings at Saturday’s elective meeting until the point where Vergotine was elected as vice president, effectively making him chairman of the meeting which reinstated Conradie into the hot seat for another testing term of three, four or five years, depending on what the extra ordinary congress would decide.- Nampa