Namibian Motorsport has lost a valued ambassador

Lukas David Hipondoka

(24 August 1948 – 28 June 2021)

Rudi Bowe

The legendary and well-known personality and valued ambassador in motorsport circles, Lukas David Hipondoka (73) has passed on early Monday morning at a local hospital in Walvis Bay as a result of Covid-19.

The legendary Oshiwambo speaking Hipondoka with his prowess as truck, race and rally driver competed in Namibia, South Africa and even Switzerland and has left deep footprints in Namibian motor-sport industry and has been very successful since the eighties.
The late Hipondoka was the former world truck parking champion and the first black race and rally driver in what was then South West Africa. He also participated regularly in South Africa. He was the first black man to open a driving school and run a successful business at the harbour town.
He was the primary black driver to obtain Volkswagen manufacturing facility assist, racing Group One in Namibia and South Africa.
Lukas even won the opening stage of the Total Tara Rally with no less than now President Hage Geingob, navigating in the BMW 325iS demo of Willem Hugo.
Hipondoka was included within the South African team that took on the world’s biggest truck drivers in Switzerland.
It is also believed that at the age of 52 Hipondoka was caught speeding at 237km/h on the N7 highway in the Northern Cape while on his way from Johannesburg to Port Nolloth.
Hipondoka has also appeared on the Afrikaans television programme in South Africa, “Maak `n Las”, as a guest storyteller.
Every year on the 31st December at 24:00 Hipondoka entertained the Walvis Bay community with his sports vehicle in the main street in Kuisebmond.
With an incredible sense of humour, he remained a motor-sport fanatic through.
Hipondoka will be laid to rest tomorrow Saturday 3 July in Walvis Bay. Due to the Covid-19 regulations the community that would like to pay their last respect can do so tonight between 17:00 and 18:00 by participating in the drive by in Hematiet Street in Kuisebmond and be part of the guard of honour in the main street in Kuisebmond 9:00 tomorrow morning.