Hlungwani recalls Jerome Damon’s contact lens surprise

Former Premier Soccer League referee Victor Hlungwani has revealed how Jerome Damon’s contact lenses once left him worried about the official’s ability to spot an offside.

Hlungwani shared the story in the second part of KickOff’s Locker Room Secrets interview, in which he discussed the dressing habits and quirks of referees he worked with during his career.

A prominent former PSL official and FIFA-accredited referee, Hlungwani is now a television and radio analyst and commentator. He was named PSL Referee of the Year for the 2011/2012 Season.

Asked which referees were the best dressed, Hlungwani selected several former colleagues.

“Kulasande Qongqo was the first one. This boy knew how to dress up. Remember, he was a school teacher,” he said.

He also praised Ace Ncobo, recalling how supporters reacted to him during warm-ups.

“Ace Ncobo dressed up so nicely as well. During our warm-ups the crowd would go, ‘Aaace’, and he would say to us, ‘You see, people love me on and off the field of play’,” Hlungwani said, laughing.

Looking further back, Hlungwani named Bennet Ditshego as another standout.

“I was young during his time but I could see the way he dressed. Ditshego should be called into the Madlanga Commission. I don’t know how he afforded the clothes he wore,” he said.

Hlungwani added that Ditshego was a manager at his place of work.

Those who struggled with style

The former referee was less complimentary when asked who dressed poorly, saying some of his white colleagues paid little attention to their footwear.

“When it came to our white colleagues, it was bad, man. You would find their shoes were not well polished and their tekkies were not clean,” he said.

He singled out Daniel Bennet as an example of someone who did not always clean his trainers properly, while saying Johnny Du Toit’s appearance suggested fashion was not a priority.

On the question of referees who did not shower, Hlungwani said the issue mattered because officials often travelled together in confined spaces.

“As someone who worked with water, being a Rand Water employee, I would encourage fellow referees to shower because, if we don’t, the car we are travelling in will have a bad smell inside,” he said.

“Once a teacher, always a teacher. You always try to teach people around you.”

That led to his story about Damon, whose contact lenses initially caused Hlungwani some concern.

“Do you know there are referees who put contact lenses right in their eyes? The first time I saw Jerome Damon put in these contact lenses, I was so scared,” he said.

“I even asked him, ‘Hey Jerome, are you going to be able to spot an offside with those things on your eyes?’ I suppose they make their eyesight clear, since many people have eye problems.”