Coach’s undies cause stir

Danisa Masuku

DO not wash your dirty linen in public. This common idiom should have served as sound advice, literally, to Highlanders coach Hendrik Pieter de Jongh after the club’s hierarchy reportedly declined to buy him a washing machine.

A source at the heart of the black and white institution disclosed that when the Highlanders mentor requested the club’s executive to buy him a washing machine among other demands, the club’s management shot his request down due to limited resources.

The source said as a solution the executive said the Highlanders head coach should bring his laundry for washing at the club’s offices.
De Jongh allegedly brought all his clothes for washing, including his underwear!

But it is said the person who does the club’s laundry refused to touch the inner clothes.

“He brought all his clothes which include his black suits and white shirts and underwear but the guy who does the washing refused to wash his underwear. They talked to him to take them back and he agreed. We were shocked because in our culture a man’s underwear cannot just be washed by anyone. Only a man’s wife may touch the important garments,” said a source.

Contacted for a comment club spokeperson Ronald Moyo said: “I do not know what was negotiated or demanded because I was not part of the negotiating team.”

Club’s chief executive Nhlanhla Dube said: “He never made any demands. I do not know what you are talking about.”

Over and above his salary, pegged in United States dollars and believed to be US$2 200, the Dutch native allegedly asked for the club to provide him with WiFi as well as a washing machine and a weekly fuel allocation.

Because of the persistent and prolonged power cuts experienced in the country, De Jongh is said to have asked the club to provide an alternative source of power when the city is hit by load shedding.

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