In this latest edition of My First Pay Cheque, former Bloemfontein Celtic star Jorry Merahe shares with KickOff how he rushed to KFC after receiving his first-ever pay cheque in football.
Merahe explains that earning money from playing the game allowed him to finally buy his favorite meal—Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Do you remember anything about your first pay cheque?
"Yes, I do. I got my first pay cheque at Bloemfontein Celtic after they signed me from a club in Welkom called Classic Chiefs. I think it was in 1999, if I'm not mistaken, when I was turning 17 or 18."
How much was it?
"My first pay cheque was R1000. At that time, I was still in school, along with Kleinbooi Taaibos. Being new in the PSL, I felt that R1000 was a lot of money. I was still a student."
How did you celebrate it?
"After collecting my envelope, I went straight to KFC [laughs]. I had a craving for chicken, so I wanted KFC so badly. I think I bought a four-piece meal and ate it just as it was, without buns or anything.
"Back then, I was still in school, and most parents weren't financially stable. For us, getting KFC was a luxury. My first pay cheque really changed my life—I could finally eat whatever I wanted."
What else did you buy for yourself?
"It cost me about R500. At that point, everyone could see that I had arrived. I sent the rest of the money to my mother through Shoprite. I didn't need much for myself because I was staying for free at Petrus Molemela's hotel."
If you had the chance to do it again, how much would you ask for as your first pay cheque?
"To be honest, I wouldn’t change anything. One thousand rands was a lot of money to me back then since I was still in school. That R1000 salary allowed me to buy furniture for my mother over time.
"But if it were today, given the talent I had, I would ask for a monthly salary of R1.2 million."
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