Moroka Swallows defender Wandisile Letlabika was forced to turn to his bank account to cater for the financial expenses of his recent injury.
Letlabika has only played 30 minutes this season which was in December against SuperSport United after a year out due to injury.
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The 34-year-old – who is amongst the better earners at the club, is amongst the 22 players that Swallows' DC chairperson has recommended be sacked in the ongoing salaries and signing on fees scandal at the club.
"Wandisile Letlabika had to go and pay for his own operation because the team did not assist with that," says Nhlanhla Shabalala, the SAFPU secretary-general in disclosing some of the issues at Swallows.
"We know how this works.
"When you have an injury, the team pays on your behalf and assist with the rehabilitation process and at the end they claim the money from the insurance which is DELPHSURE.
"Moroka Swallows has not done that.
"That is what players go through and nobody seems to care or look into that.
"It is as though these players are ill-disciplined and do what they want, any time they want.
"We must understand that playing football is painful in South Africa nowadays given the treatment that these players are suffering.
"It is not only Moroka Swallows but everywhere where it is happening.
"At Milford, there are problems of salaries that are not paid and if players take action they will be seen as being wrong.
"Players are reasonable when there are financial difficulties but when they have had enough with lies and broken promises at some point you must take a stand.
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"What is happening now at Swallows is fabricated because all this that 22 players have been fired is just recommendations of the chairperson of the DC and nothing official has happened.
"There are no sanctions for clubs for late payments or no payments yet when a player misses training for two days, he is fined 50% of his salary," says Shabalala.
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