In this edition of My First Pay Cheque, KickOff catches up with former Orlando Pirates player Bruce Ramokadi, who reveals how much he earned when he started at the Soweto Giants.
Ramokadi was part of the legendary Pirates team that won the 1995 African Champions Cup.
Who I signed for?
"Orlando Pirates. The year was 1993."
How much was it?
"It was R500. It was raised to R1 500 when I started to feature in more games.
"R500 carried some weight those days because I was still in High School doing Standard 8. In our school, I was the only student getting a salary (laughs).
"Back then, we used to get paid in cheques, then we'd go to the bank to change it into cash.
"Sometimes you would go to the bank only to find that the club's money has run out. Your cheque would bounce.
"Those days, Pirates didn't have money. You would wait for the club to tell you when you can go back to the bank again. Sometimes, it would take a whole month."
How I celebrated?
"I didn't celebrate. I just took it home to my elders, who would then give me and my siblings some pocket money.
"Those days there was no pressure, people respected you for the fact that a Pirates kombi was coming to collect you for training."
What I bought with it?
"I only bought myself some sneakers after the club raised my salary to R1500. I also bought a music system for my family. I also built a wall around my house."
Did it last you the full month?
"I'd take R1 000 home and keep R500 for myself. I didn't see a need for money those days because I was still at school."