The volunteers for the recent Cosafa under 17 Girls championship, held in the capital, claim the Namibia Football Association (NFA) owes them unpaid dues.
This comes coupled with allegations of unfair treatment during the duration of the tournament.
The 2025 Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) u17 Girls Championship was the sixth edition of the championship last month.
Despite hosting a successful football tournament, the NFA鈥檚 image has now been tarnished by the non-payment and unfair treatment the volunteers were exposed to.
Speaking to The Namibian Sport, Kenny William and Willem Mouton alleged that concerns were raised regarding the treatment and non-payment of volunteers who dedicated their time and effort to support the tournament.
鈥淭he volunteers have come forward with detailed allegations of unfair conduct including the lack of a provision for basic necessities and significant delays in receiving agreed upon stipends,鈥 said William.
According to reports from a group of volunteers, the NFA failed to provide meals for the first two days of the tournament and it was only after a volunteer reportedly fainted due to hunger that Cosafa official Pholisa Mkencele intervened. After that the NFA began offering meals to the individuals assisting with the event.
Mouton said volunteers committed their time for a minimum fee and drivers agreed to N$350 per day.
鈥淚t has been more than a month since the completion of our volunteering duties for the Cosafa u17 tournament, and promises of compensation remain unfulfilled.
鈥淭his alleged conduct by the NFA raises serious questions about the association鈥檚 commitment to fair labour practices and the well-being of individuals who contributed significantly to the successful hosting of the tournament,鈥 said Mouton.
He said volunteers are crucial to the smooth operation of any sport tournament, and their dedication must be met with respect and timely compensation for their services.
鈥淭he current allegations regarding volunteer non payments further highlight systemic issues within the organisation that require urgent attention,鈥 stressed William.
鈥淲e have waited and enough is enough. We are now calling on the national football body to address these grievances immediately and honour their commitments.鈥
鈥淲e urge the football body to provide a clear explanation for these delays and to prioritise the payment of all outstanding issues of the volunteers,鈥 the duo said.
Questions sent to NFA acting secretary general Cassius Moetie last week via Whatsapp went unanswered.
The Namibian has been informed that a course for the volunteers concluded over the weekend as Namibia gets ready to host the eleventh edition of the African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Games.
The volunteers question how the NFA plans to pay volunteers for the AUSC Region 5 Games if it struggles to pay its current volunteers.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what the issue is but I am certain that maybe there is no money,鈥 says one of the volunteers.
The regional event pencilled from 4 to 13 July will have events taking place in the capital and Swakopmund.
The games will feature various sports codes and will involve approximately 2 500 athletes, officials and support personnel from the ten participating countries within the region.
The NFA called for volunteers to support the Cosafa Under-17 Girls Championship which was held from 10 to 17 May.
The tournament also served as a test event for the multi-sport AUSC Region 5 Games. The volunteers were integrated from the Region 5 Games to gain experience in working at international sport competition.
The national football body has emphasised that the tournament was an opportunity to support Namibian football and promote its broader socio-economic impact, including youth development.
The NFA provided free entry tickets to ascertain the number of spectators to the games. Zambia retained the title after beating Malawi by 3-0 in an exciting final spectacle played at the Hage Geingob stadium.