Kanalelo: The safe hands of Sundowns’ success

Namibia’s most capped goalkeeper, Ronnie ‘The Magnet’ Kanalelo, retired with a remarkable club and an international football career. Born at Ondaungilo village in the Ohangwena region, Kanalelo started playing football at Immanuel Ruiters Primary School at Walvis Bay, where he grew up. “I come from a sporting family. It came as no surprise that I ended up being a sportsperson myself. My mother played, coached and umpired netball,” he says. “My two brothers played for Supers Stars and Orlando Pirates, and my other siblings played either netball or did athletics.” The retired goalie is one of Namibia’s A-listed stars who have enjoyed success both in the then Namibia Premier League and beyond our borders in South Africa. Kanalelo’s football journey also saw him lifting major cup competitions with Eleven Arrows, Black Africa (BA) and South Africa. The towering goalkeeper won a league championship each with Arrows and BA, as well as the Castle Lager Cup, the Metropolitan Cup and the NFA Cup with Black Africa. Ronnie Kanalelo (right) with Surprise Moriri, Fabian McCarthy and Reneilwe Letsholonyane were part of a CAF A License course graduation ceremony in Botswana in 2024. An Afcon Cup debutant with the Brave Warriors in 1998, Kanalelo is a three-time league winner with Sundowns in South Africa. Additionally, he won the Rothmans Cup and the BOP Save Cup, while he is also a CAF Champions League winner with Sundowns in SA. Apart from reaching the final of the Champions League, Kanalelo was also nominated for the best save award during the same continental competition. He made his introduction to top flight football with the senior team. “I played for the youth team with Elia Nghipundja, Eliphas Shivute, and Phello Muatunga Jr, who went on to become household names in Namibian football,” he says. “My association with Blue Waters came to an end after I overheard in a conversation that I was never going to make it. I was 16 at the time and went on to play two more games.” Kanalelo at the time attended school at Okakarara and decided to concentrate on school football only. He believes his ability to focus was what made him stand out. “I also think my technique with ball handling and footwork was exceptional. I think the fact that I was tactically good was a plus.” Kanalelo says he could anticipate danger and organised his defence well. His earlier engagement with the national team was with the under-23 team. Ronnie Kanalelo and his former Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper colleague John Tlale. The two former teammates have maintained their friendship over the years. “I was first selected for the north-west under-20 regional team. Later on I was called up to the national under-23 side. I joined Arrows shortly after returning from my under-23 team duties.” His club form with Arrows prompted Black Africa to come looking for his services, and the rest, he says, is history. Kanalelo is a two-time runner-up of the Cosafa Cup as a national team player and won as many silver medals as Brave Warriors’ assistant coach. “I played at one Afcon with the class of ’98 Brave Warriors team in Burkina Faso. I was also a three-time assistant coach of the national team at three Afcons – in 2008, 2019 and 2024,” he says. “I was part of the history-making Brave Warriors team that won Namibia’s Cosafa Cup as an assistant coach under coach Ricardo ‘Bucksy’ Mannetti and won two silver medals.” The former Sundowns goalkeeper also won a plate as an assistant coach in the same competition. On how Sundowns happened, he says: “Professor Ngubane asked whether I would be interested to play in South Africa, and I said yes without hesitation. He recommended me to ‘Screamer’ Shabalala, who was coaching Sundowns at the time. “Screamer and the late Angelo Tshiclas came to watch me against Cameroon in an Afcon qualifier. We needed a draw to qualify, but we lost 1-0. After the game at the hotel, they reached out, and that’s how it started.” The former goalie says he didn’t live it large in Gauteng. “I really didn’t follow the fast life of Jo’burg. I was more into my profession and only partied when on holiday in Namibia,” Kanalelo says. He is currently Ongos FC’s head coach and a specialised goalkeeper coach. He had two spells as a goalkeeper coach in the South African Premier League – first with Maritzburg United between 2011 and 2013, and then with Bloemfontein Celtic in 2014. Now an A-licensed coach, he has coached teams like Eleven Arrows, Tura Magic, Tigers, Black Africa, Unam FC and African Stars. COACHING DREAMS Kanalelo says he breathes and dreams football as a full-time coach. Ronnie Kanalelo was assistant coach of the national team under Ricardo Mannetti from 2013-2019 and under Collin Benjamin from 2022-2024. “I’m in charge of improving and maintaining players’ performance, which I’m enjoying a lot.” The former goalie mentions former Black Africa and Br