Young African FC founder Maleagi Ngarizemo denies reports that the club plans to sell its Namibia Premier Football League (NPFL) status to Namibia Correctional Services FC (NCS).
Addressing widespread speculation, Ngarizemo has clarified that while NCS has approached the Gobabis-based club for that purpose, no agreement has been reached.
“There’s no deal. We were contacted and negotiations took place, but nothing came of it,” he says.
Young African will thus continue operating as it has, with Ngarizemo as the sole owner and financial backer.
“Young African remains Young African, and I am still leading and supporting the club,” he says.
The club, currently based at Mariental while its home venue, Legare Stadium at Gobabis, is being renovated, has faced ongoing speculation throughout the league season about negotiations with NCS.
Although NCS dominated the Southern Stream First Division (SSFD), they were disqualified from being promoted to the Debmarine Namibia Premier Football League owing to their association with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, which also backs Khomas NamPol – another team already in the league.
According to Namibia Football Association (NFA) regulations, two clubs under the same ownership cannot compete in the same league.
In an effort to re-enter the top league, NCS needed new management independent of the ministry.
Efforts by NCS to challenge their disqualification have so far been unsuccessful.
Last year, the club lost a legal challenge against the NFA.
In September 2024, judge Kobus Miller dismissed their appeal, ruling that NCS had not exhausted all available remedies before taking the matter to court.
Despite this, NCS continue to contest their exclusion from the top league, filing a complaint against the NFA for alleged unfair treatment after their promotion spot was awarded to the coastal team Blue Boys.
Attempts to reach NCS management for comment were not successful. – Nampa
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