In this edition of My First Pay Cheque, former Mamelodi Sundowns player Dan Semake shares with KickOff the reason he decided to give his entire first salary to his parents.
Dan Semake, a retired defender from Vosloorus, is a product of the Sundowns development program. He was promoted to the first team, where he excelled.
At which club did you receive your first pay cheque?
"I received my first pay cheque at the Mamelodi Sundowns first team. I remember that while in the development side, we were given stipends, not actual salaries. I was promoted to the first team after returning from France with the Under-20 national team. I think it was in 1999, and at the time, there was interest in me from clubs in Denmark and Belgium."
How much was it?
"It was a small amount—R8,000. It felt little, especially since it is a cultural norm for black families to give their first salary to their parents. I was only 19 years old at the time, with just four months left until I turned 20. Back then, we were paid with cheques."
How did you celebrate?
"To be honest, celebrating didn't even cross my mind. I was solely focused on providing for my parents. The circumstances at home didn't allow for any celebration. I couldn't treat myself to a pizza or go to a restaurant while at home things were not okay."
Did you buy anything for yourself?
"Honestly, I did nothing for myself with that first pay cheque. I sent all the money home, giving it to my parents to help renovate our house."
How did you survive a whole month with nothing in your pocket?
"Fortunately, Sundowns provided us with free accommodation, so I didn't need to spend any money on transport or housing."
If you could return to that negotiation day, would you have accepted the offer that was presented to you?
"My manager, Mike Makaab, negotiated on my behalf. He explained how being promoted to the first team was a significant opportunity. Coming from the Sundowns development side, he advised me to accept the offer.
"However, if I could go back to those years, I would definitely ask for more money. Back then, the highest-paid players in our league were earning no more than R40,000, and only players like Raphael Chukwu made that much."
