Jacob Zuma vs Keagan Rowe

FIDE Treasurer and Executive Director, Nigel Freeman, together with African Chess Union President, Lakhdar Mazouz, FIDE Zone 4.3 President, Tshepo Sitale and FIDE Development Secretary, Rupert Jones visited southern Africa in July. Their first stop was to attend the closing rounds of the Commonwealth Championship in Port Elizabeth. This was the most successful of all Commonwealth Championships, with over 900 participants from 29 countries, extremely well organised by Brian Van Zyl under the auspices of CHESSA. The highlight was a visit from the South African President, Jacob Zuma, and he spent most of the last day there. He played a serious (25 minutes or so) game with the youngest participant, Keagan Rowe, aged 5, which was the front page picture in most of the South African newspapers the next day.

Whilst in Port Elizabeth, Nigel Freeman met with the Board of CHESSA. He, Lakhdar Mazouz, Tshepo Sitale and Rupert Jones met with the various African Federations that attended the event, particularly the Lesotho Chess Federation President, who travelled particularly to Port Elizabeth to meet them and the Tanzanian Chess Federation President and Secretary, who have applied for membership of FIDE.

FIDE Development Commission Secretary, Rupert Jones, CHESSA President, Emilia Ellappen and FIDE Treasurer and Executive Director, Nigel Freeman

South African President, Jacob Zuma and CHESSA President, Emelia Ellappen present a certificate to the leader of the Khoi Tribe



FIDE Treasurer and Executive Director with Alina L'Ami

From left to right: Mr. Nurdin Hassuji, General Secretary Tanzania Chess Association, Mr. Nigel Freeman, FIDE Treasurer and Executive Director, Mr. Lakhdar Mazouz, African Chess Union President and Mr. Geoffrey Mwanyika, Chairman Tanzania Chess Association

Photos thanks to http://www.commonwealthchess.com/