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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
FC Platinum coach Pieter de Jongh was on Saturday barred from entering South Africa enroute to Eswatini because he didn’t have a Covid-19 testing certificate and a clearance letter from the South African embassy in Harare.

The Dutchman, however, claimed he had the Covid-19 certificate after being tested at a Gweru private clinic on Thursday which cleared him and said the only reason he couldn’t proceed to Eswatini was a communication breakdown.

He also refuted claims that he intended meeting potential new employers in Eswatini, saying he wanted to use his visit to Eswatini, which he said was private, to arrange a training camp for his Pure Platinum Play side as part of preparations for the next version of the Total Caf Champions League campaign expected to kick-off in October.

Sources had told Chronicle Sport that the coach was already in Eswatini, allegedly to meet up with his potential employers, believed to be the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) after the coach last week posted a message on Twitter and tagged the Chipolopolo page in an unusual move.

“The gentleman was turned back on the South African side of the border because his papers didn’t add up. He did not have the Covid-19 certificate to show that he wasn’t a virus career and also a clearance from the South African embassy for him to enter the country,” said a source from the South African border.

De Jongh confirmed to Chronicle Sport that he was refused entry into South Africa, but emphasised that it was all due to a communication breakdown which was being sorted.

“I had all the papers except one. I was tested for coronavirus in Gweru on Thursday and I don’t have the virus. I also have a letter from my very professional employers FC Platinum, who knew where I was going and another letter from the Eswatini football authorities, who by the way remain very good friends of mine, having been their employee. There was just a small communication breakdown that required me to have a letter from the South African embassy so that I can pass through their country on my way to Eswatini, a visit which by the way was more private than anything although I also wanted to organise a camp for my club (FC Platinum) as part of our preparations for the Caf Champions League,” said De Jongh.

“It’s not true that I was going to meet my so called potential employers; I am very happy here at FC Platinum, it’s a professional institution and my contract here is a long one. I have all the intentions of fulfilling it. Once the proper papers are sorted, I will definitely make the trip to Eswatini,” said De Jongh.