Gerard Vries

Also known as: Executive director of sport Gerard Vries

Gerard Vries — Executive director of the Department of Youth, Sport and National Service, overseeing sport development and federation governance.

2026-01-262026-07-20

What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

July 2026
7 JulThe Namibian
Executive director Gerard Vries described the exercise as an important step towards building an effective and responsive department.
Source
“Officially opening the workshop yesterday, executive director Gerard Vries described the exercise as an important step towards building an effective and responsive department capable of implementing the government's priorities on youth empowerment and sport development.”
Shaping up sport service delivery
7 JulThe Namibian
Vries said Swapo's manifesto identifies sport as second national priority and youth as third.
Source
“He said Swapo's manifesto identifies sport as the second national priority and youth as the third, highlighting the government's commitment to both sectors as key drivers of socio-economic development.”
Shaping up sport service delivery
7 JulThe Namibian
Gerard Vries instructed the Namibia Sports Commission to communicate the funding suspension decision to all recognised sport bodies
Source
“This is contained in a letter dated 15 June from executive director Gerard Vries, which instructs the Namibia Sports Commission to communicate the decision to all recognised sport bodies with immediate effect.”
Govt funding freeze ‘setback’ for sport
7 JulNew Era
Gerard Vries revealed Namibia's sports investment could rise to N$68.5 million if additional N$50 million is released
Source
“Namibia's investment in sport could rise to N$68.5 million this year if an additional N$50 million earmarked in the national budget is released, executive director in the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture Gerard Vries has revealed.”
Additional N$50 million could lift govt’s sports investment
7 JulNew Era
Gerard Vries signed directive instructing Namibia Sports Commission to suspend all new requests for financial assistance from national sport federations
Source
“In a directive signed by Vries, the ministry informed the NSC that it is currently unable to consider any new requests for financial support.”
Additional N$50 million could lift govt’s sports investment
2 JulThe Namibian
Gerard Vries says the figure of about N$330 million is incorrect
Source
“Executive director of sport, youth and national service Gerard Vries says the figure of about N$330 million is incorrect.”
Independence Stadium consultant fee sparks N$337m controversy
June 2026
24 JunWindhoek Observer
Gerard Vries expressed that timing on short notice did not allow fair hearing of other side
Source
“When contacted for comment on Tuesday evening, executive director in the education ministry, Gerard Vries, acknowledged receipt of the inquiry but expressed that the timing, being on short notice, did not allow for the principle of "hearing the other side" to be fairly observed.”
City of Windhoek legal advisor faces assault charges after alleged attack on teacher
10 JunWindhoek Observer
Executive Director Gerard Vries stated Dempers is an independent consultant engaged on temporary basis to support reforms at NYC
Source
“Instead, according to Executive Director Gerard Vries, he is merely an independent consultant engaged on a temporary basis to support reforms at the National Youth Council.”
Playing with words will not resolve the Uhuru Dempers questions
10 JunWindhoek Observer
Gerard Vries denied that Dempers holds a political appointment
Source
“In a formal response dated 4 June 2026 addressed to Windhoek Observer, executive director in the youth ministry, Gerard Vries denied that Dempers holds a political appointment.”
Steenkamp accused of irregular appointment of her ‘special advisor’ …as legal framework exclusively vests appointing authority in President
4 JunWindhoek Observer
Executive director Gerard Vries rejected characterisation of non-compliance
Source
“Responding to the Windhoek Observer, executive director in the ministry of education, innovation, youth, sports, arts and culture Gerard Vries, rejected what he called the characterisation of non-compliance.”
NYS operates with four board members for over a year …falling below statutory limit of at least seven members

Politics

Education ministry restructures youth and sport department

The News

The Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture is holding a week-long restructuring workshop in Ongwediva (6–11 July) to align the Department of Youth, Sport and National Service with its expanded mandate. Executive director Gerard Vries said the exercise aims to build an effective department capable of implementing government priorities on youth empowerment and sport development.

7 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 7 July

Education ministry restructures youth and sport department
The Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture is holding a week-long restructuring workshop in Ongwediva (6–11 July) to align the Department of Youth, Sport and National Service with its expanded mandate. Executive director Gerard Vries said the exercise aims to build an effective department capable of implementing government priorities on youth empowerment and sport development.
7 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Government suspends financial support to Namibia sport federations
Namibia's sport bodies have condemned the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture's decision to suspend all financial support to recognised sport federations and umbrella organisations, calling it a serious setback that threatens athlete development, competitions and employment. The suspension came after the ministry cited mounting financial constraints in a letter dated 15 June, despite having set aside approximately N$13.5 million for sport development programmes in April.
7 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia could raise sports investment to N$68.5 million
An additional N$50 million earmarked in the national budget could lift Namibia's sports investment to N$68.5 million this year, with funding directed towards elite athlete development, international competition preparation, and the Podium Performance Programme targeting the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
7 July 2026 · New Era →

Thursday 2 July

Stadium consultant fee far exceeds government budget
A consultant hired to advise on renovating Windhoek's Independence Stadium is set to earn about N$337 million – more than three times the government's budgeted amount – through a 17.5% fee on the estimated N$2 billion project cost, which industry experts say is unusually high.
2 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 24 June

City of Windhoek legal advisor faces assault charges
A legal advisor at the City of Windhoek is facing assault charges for allegedly striking a teacher at Ella du Plessis Secondary School with a stick during an incident on school premises. The confrontation arose after a dispute involving the advisor's son and the teacher.
24 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Wednesday 10 June

Ministry's terminology shift fails to clarify Dempers role dispute
The controversy over Uhuru Dempers' position at the National Youth Council has become a broader question of transparency and accountability within the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture. While attendance records confirm Dempers attended NYC meetings and exercised influence on behalf of Minister Sanet Steenkamp, the ministry insists he is merely an independent temporary consultant rather than a special advisor, but this terminological distinction does not address underlying concerns about his involvement in strategic meetings and policy discussions.
10 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Minister Steenkamp accused of irregular special advisor appointment
Education minister Sanet Steenkamp has been accused of irregularly appointing Uhuru Dempers as her special advisor on youth matters and paying him without following proper recruitment procedures. Sources claim Dempers has been attending meetings on the minister's behalf since October 2025 and allegedly lobbied on behalf of an interim board at a National Youth Council meeting in ways not provided for by the NYC Act.
10 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Thursday 4 June

NYS operates below statutory board member minimum for over year
The National Youth Service has operated with only four board members for more than a year, below the statutory minimum of seven prescribed by the NYS Act 6 of 2005. A governance expert warned the arrangement creates compliance concerns and heightens governance risks, with sources fearing resolutions passed under the current arrangement could be deemed void.
4 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Sunday 24 May

Independence Stadium procurement expected to begin second quarter
The government is expected to start the procurement process for a contractor to redevelop Independence Stadium in Windhoek during the second quarter of the current financial year, with the stadium currently at the final design and documentation stage. The project is one of five stadiums planned across the country to be upgraded to Confederation of African Football category three standards, to be implemented in phases.
24 May 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 21 May

Youth centres to become multi-purpose hubs for skills
Twamanguluka youth organisation and the ministry of youth have launched a national Youth Centre Revitalisation Project to transform youth centres into integrated hubs offering education, healthcare, enterprise development, sports, technology and employment pathways. Pilot programmes will begin in Katima Mulilo, Rundu and Gobabis.
21 May 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 15 May

Government transfers youth and sports functions to 14 regional councils
Urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa has warned against political and administrative power struggles as the government decentralises youth empowerment, sports promotion and development planning functions to all 14 regional councils, with 327 staff members expected to be seconded during the transition. Sankwasa stressed that decentralisation cannot succeed if institutions compete for authority and called for clarity on reporting lines and responsibilities between governors, regional councils and decentralised staff.
15 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Monday 11 May

Education ministry seeks to cancel costly empty building lease
The Ministry of Education has sought legal advice to cancel a lease agreement for an unoccupied Independence Avenue building that has cost the state N$1.1 million monthly since 2024. The building, leased from northern businessman Erastus 'Chicco' Shapumba since December 2023, was found unsuitable for office use and remains empty.
11 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Wednesday 8 April

Sport ministry denies involvement in RCC's N$500m stadium loan request
The Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture said it had not appointed the Roads Contractor Company to source funding from the Development Bank of Namibia for sport stadiums, nor was it aware of or party to any loan application by the RCC. The ministry said it remains the custodian of sport infrastructure development and is implementing its national programme with N$5 million per facility as part of phase 1 of a long-term, phased approach.
8 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 5 March

Government hand-picks RCC for N$140m regional sport facilities project
The government has awarded Roads Contractor Company (RCC) a N$140-million project to build sport facilities across Namibia's 14 regions, bypassing standard public procurement rules under a presidential fast-track exemption. The decision has drawn criticism from industry groups and opposition politicians over transparency and accountability, though officials argue the project follows existing legal frameworks and incorporates oversight mechanisms.
5 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 2 March

Government urges sport federations toward transparency and unity
At a sport federations' assembly, Minister Sanet Steenkamp called on federations to remain disciplined, transparent and united, emphasizing that the government has allocated N$750 million to sport within a three-year framework and expects accountability in financial management and governance. Executive director Gerard Vries stressed the need for financial prudence and collaboration among stakeholders, noting that internal division weakens progress while unity strengthens impact.
2 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 17 February

Education ministry paid N$27.5m for unoccupied building
The Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture has paid an estimated N$27.5 million in rental fees over 25 months for a Windhoek office building owned by Erastus Shapumba that remains unoccupied since the lease was signed in December 2023. The Works and Transport Minister confirmed the government cannot easily terminate the contract despite ongoing construction delays and a subsequent ministry merger in March 2025 that contributed to the delayed relocation.
17 February 2026 · New Era →

Monday 26 January

Gochas learners gain new hostel facility in Hardap region
A N$11.6 million hostel accommodating 60 learners was officially opened in Gochas by education minister Sanet Steenkamp, donated by Spanish non-profit Foundawtion in response to an initiative by retired principal Theo-Paulina Goliath to improve living conditions for students in the community.
26 January 2026 · New Era →