Snl24 | ‘We would be paid in envelopes, full of R10 notes’

In this edition of My First Pay Cheque, KickOff speaks to former Orlando Pirates star Aubrey “Sense of Knowledge” Lekwane, who bemoans the meagre earnings his generation of professional footballers made from the game compared to the current crop.

The former crowd favourite says he envies the salaries that the current generation of players is receiving from clubs.

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Lekwane says things were tough when he started out at the now-defunct Grinaker Rangers.

Who you signed for?

“I had signed with Grinaker Rangers. I remember I was the only black player there, the rest were white players.

“I did my own thing. I played my football, which differed from what they were doing. That was in 1989.

“To be honest, money was not a priority those days. We just wanted to realise our dream of turning professional.”

How much was it?

“It was R300. Today it’s equivalent to zero. It never had value. We would be paid in envelopes, full of R10 notes.

“When I put the envelope on a table, my mother thought it had R5 000 inside.”

How did you celebrate?

“By then, I was still in Standard 10, so I gave most of the money to my parents to buy the groceries.”

What did you buy for yourself?

“Nothing really. I was only left with pocket money to eat at school. Those days, R50 lasted me the whole month. I used to buy a kota [bunny chow] and soft drinks at school.”

Did it last you the whole month?

“Yes, it did. But I don’t have regrets, to be honest, I only have wishes. I wish I could be young again and earn what players are earning today. The money they misuse.

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“What I don’t understand is why these players are retiring broke when they are earning R500 000 a month. In two months, that’s R1 million.

“In our generation, we had players who played overseas earning pounds and euros, but today they are broke like us who never went anywhere.”