KwaMaqoma’s Mninawa Ndaku is carving his name among the top-ranked netball umpires in the country and moving closer to his dream of being an official in the Commonwealth Games and the Netball World Cup.
Ndaku officiates at high-level competitions, including the Telkom Netball League, Spar Women’s National Championships and Varsity Netball.
The KwaMaqoma-born (formerly Fort Beaufort) umpire is among 19 match officials courtside enforcing the rules of the game in South Africa’s biggest netball tournament, the Telkom Netball League, a dream he always had when he started his journey in high school.
His skills on the court were impressive enough for the Eastern Cape selectors to pick him for the province’s team to partake in the SA Schools Netball Boys’ competition.
He gave himself room to grow by learning how to coach and umpire.
Ndaku said, though he had reached his ceiling as a player, he wanted to stay and contribute positively to the sport.
“I began coaching when I started university in my first year,” he recalled.
“It was a part-time coaching opportunity, and eventually, it became head coach of the institution, coaching at the University Sports South Africa (Ussa) level and umpiring.
“When I made the decision I was done with coaching, I still wanted to give back to the sport, and umpiring was one of the opportunities I could get involved in and contribute to the sport.
“I absolutely love it.
“It keeps me challenged, it keeps me involved in the sport, and I love every opportunity I get,” Ndaku said.
Though he has been umpiring for a number of years, he feels there aren’t enough opportunities for umpires to grow.
“Just like any other sporting code, one of the challenges we face is [lack of] exposure to the highest level of play.
“I think the Telkom Netball League plays a vital role for us to get the exposure we need so we are able to grow, be consistent and contribute to the benefit of the sport.
“Opportunities are the biggest thing. International opportunities are a big thing for umpires, especially once you reach the level of Netball South Africa A, which is the highest qualification in South Africa, where you are starting to knock on the door of international exposure.
“I think that is where we can start tapping into getting more opportunities,” he said.
The pinnacle of any sport is being able to compete or participate at an international level.
The former Tshwane University of Technology coach holds the Netball South Africa A Grade qualification and will require the International Netball Umpire Award to officiate in an international competition.
Ndaku is yet to reach this stage but dreams of officiating an international tournament during his career.
“Every umpire aspires to be the best they can be, and for me it’s to be the best I can be.
“I would love to set foot at the Commonwealth Games or at the Netball World Cup. It is a dream to look forward to, being part of that level of umpiring,” he said.
• Meanwhile, the Eastern Cape Aloes claimed their first win in this year’s edition of the Telkom Netball League after they beat the Kingdom Stars in Division 1.
The result meant the Aloes won one of their six matches in Power Week One.
In Division 2, the Eastern Cape Comets’ struggles continued over the weekend.
They only had one victory in Power Week One out of eight matches.
Daily Dispatch
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