Football legend Humphrey Mlwane says former ABC Motsepe League outfits Kruger United and Highbury FC must be relieved to be escaping the "corrupt" division following their promotion to PSL football.
Kruger, from Mpumalanga, will be campaigning in the Motsepe Foundation Championship next season.
Mlwane, who was at the helm of Mpumalanga-based side Phaphama FC, was shocked to learn through the media that the team that he coached last season is no more.
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"I only heard about this on some sports show on the radio that my team has been sold to somebody from Middelburg," a perplexed Mlwane reveals to KickOff.
"A team I saved from relegation, it has been sold to a Middelburg-based businessman. I don't have an issue with that, I understand the challenges of running a team in this division.
"Without a serious income, you can't run a team in this division. It's rotten with corruption, so you must also look after the referees.
"Very few coaches have contracts in this division, but mostly it's a verbal agreement between the club and the coach. This is one tough division," he adds.
The former Kaizer Chiefs midfield man says referees make it extremely difficult for teams to win promotion.
"Once you fall inside the penalty area, it's a spot kick, regardless of whether you were standing alone [or not]. Before the referee even blows his whistle, players are already grabbing the ball with their hands, arguing amongst themselves [about] who is going to take the penalty.
"This is the most corrupt division in South African football. The referees are not getting salaries, the only thing they get is the traveling allowance. So, they rely on bribes to be able to buy groceries for their families.
"Remember the referee's traveling allowance comes from the clubs, each club pays R600 before every match could kick off.
"The referee and his two assistants will then share the R1 200 amongst themselves, but the referee takes a big chunk of course.
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"Teams that are usually competing for promotion pay coaches the basic start of around R18 000 a month. If your team is not amongst those competing for the league, they fire you right away.
"Apparently, in the beginning there was a monthly grant of R30 000 that teams used to get from SAFA, but I hear it's been three years now clubs not getting it."