In the latest edition of My First Pay Cheque, KickOff catches up with former Ajax Cape Town star Mkhanyiseli Siwahla on his start as a professional footballer at the Urban Warriors.
Who did you sign for?
"I had signed for Ajax Cape Town. It was in the 2003/04 season."
How much was it?
"If I remember very well it was R15 000. I had just won the Man of the Match in one of our games.
"I didn't have a cell phone at that time. I was told after the game that there was money that was going to be paid into my account."
How I celebrated
"I went to book a room in a hotel, I immediately invited a girl I've been scouting for years to come over.
"I booked a whole taxi for her. She didn't disappoint she honoured my invitation.
"Remember I was already in the papers now, stories about me scoring goals were all over. So, she couldn't say no.
"We relaxed and popped champagnes waya-waya."
What I bought
"The first thing I bought was a cell phone. I used the very same phone to invite the girl to the hotel.
"I bought myself a flip-flop Samsung. Do you remember the one that used to slide when it opened?
"I also bought myself some clothes and gave my mother something to buy herself some groceries."
Did it last you the full month?
"I think it was finished within two days.
"I went back to the office and asked for more money…remember I grew up there at Ajax, so they understood me as their child.
"I was young then, so they used to give me whatever I wanted. They understood my excitement.
"Even after that, at the end of the month, they still paid me my full salary.
"When I started my football career, I aimed to make money at the big three teams [Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns] or abroad.
"My dream was to play for the big three, but unfortunately that dream didn't come true.
"So, the Ajax money was just for a living, buying a television for the family, a couch and groceries.
"Ajax money was not something that I could use to buy a house or something big because I knew I was going to end up on the big teams.
"But unfortunately, things didn't happen the way I had planned. That was my lowdown."