The Jungleman, as Grrobbelaar was nicknamed during his
Dream Team days in the 1990s, said he was only allowed to enter Zimbabwe at the
end of 2017.
Speaking to Alois Bunjira on his In Touch with Legends
Facebook programme, Grobbelaar said: “In 2007 I was working in South Africa,
coaching while also travelling throughout Africa on a malaria awareness
programme. One day after landing in Cape Town from Zambia, I got a call from
the late former President (Robert Mugabe) saying he wanted me to help the
Warriors. I told him that I could do that as long as I was paid in foreign currency.
The former President said they had a problem as they didn’t have any foreign
currency and I told him I knew there was no foreign currency because they had
stolen the money and hid it somewhere. He apparently did not like that and he
told me never again to set foot on Zimbabwean soil,” said Grobbelaar.
He said he remained a persona non grata for 10 years until
President Mnangagwa took office.
“I was now working in Canada together with President ED’s
nephews and one day he phoned asking me why I wasn’t coming back to the
country, and I told him the whole story. I told him that I was barred from
coming to Zimbabwe by former President Mugabe. (President) ED said he was now
the President and I was free to come back to Zimbabwe at any time. This is how
I came back in 2017,” said Grobbelaar.
“I was part of the Zimbabwe national squad from 1981 to
1985, having previously worn the Rhodesia jersey. In 1985 my passport was taken
away from me by the Zimbabwean authorities only to be returned in 1992. (Former
Registrar General Tobaiwa) Mudede was in Britain and was at the Zimbabwe House
(in London) issuing passports to Zimbabweans, but he didn’t want to give me a
passport until he got orders from (the late former President) Mugabe to issue
me with a passport so that I could play for the Dream Team against South
Africa,” said Grobbelaar. Chronicle
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