In this edition of My First Pay Cheque, Moroka Swallows great Andries "Chaka Chaka" Mpondo tells KickOff he would be earning millions if he were still playing today.
Mpondo remains one of the greatest footballers of his generation, and starred in a Dube Birds side that also boasted the likes of Thomas "Who's Fooling Who" Hlongwane, Ace Mnini and Aaron "Roadblock" Makhathini, to name a few.
READ | Former PSL star: R500 lasted me the whole month
Who you signed for?
"I had signed with Moroka Swallows in 1984. They spotted me at our school in Meadowlands. I was still at school those days; I was at the age of 19 or 20."
How much was it?
"My first pay cheque in football was R800. That was at our beloved Moroka Swallows.
"It wasn't even a cheque it was cash money, it came in a brown envelope. Besihola njengase femini.
"After receiving it you quickly put it in your pocket and open it later at home."
How did you celebrate it?
"I didn't celebrate; we had to follow the elder's instructions, you were not allowed to touch it for at least a night, so the ancestors bazoyikhotha first.
"You were only allowed to spend it the following day and buy some food for the family, and you would spoil yourself with the rest."
What did you buy with it?
"I bought myself a Brentwood, a brown one. Those days Brentwood was an in-thing. Those days it cost R399. I paid it in cash.
"Remember those days we were always in our Swallows tracksuits, we only wore our Brentwoods on our weekend offs.
"And the rest of the money I used as my pocket money at school. I'd carry R20 a day."
Did it last you the whole month?
"It did last me the whole month. You don't spend a lot when you are still under your parents' care.
"I'm happy with what I used to earn those days; I can't complain. Remember, life was still cheap those days."
How much do you think you would be earning a month if you were still playing today?
"I'd be worth R1.3 million a month. Maybe I'd be a millionaire today. I'd be playing maybe at Sundowns...or any team that is not afraid to pay, or maybe I'd be playing in Europe since that is every soccer player's dream."