Royal AM star Thabo Matlaba tops salary chart
Royal AM president Shauwn “MaMkhize” Mkhize has revealed her club’s salary structure as part of a legal battle to reverse the Premier Soccer League’s (PSL) decision to expel the team.
The disclosure, which forms part of her urgent court application, aims to prove that she continued meeting financial obligations even after the PSL suspended a R2.3 million operational grant.
Mkhize maintains that the club’s failure to honour fixtures wasn’t due to financial neglect.
“Even without the grant, I still ensured that players were paid,” she stated, disputing the PSL’s claim of financial instability.
The salary figures submitted in court documents show veteran defender Thabo Matlaba as the top earner, receiving R121,000 monthly. Midfielders Kabelo Mahlasela and Shadrack Kobedi follow with R93,500 and R80,000, respectively.
However, the figures also highlight stark income disparities. One player, Mnguni S, earns a meagre R2,000 per month, while goalkeeper Aphile Ngobese is paid R7,916.
Others like Philani Khumalo and Xolani Phewa take home R16,000 each.
The revelations have sparked renewed concern over wage inequality within the squad, with many questioning the fairness of such drastic pay gaps in a professional team.
Mkhize’s court bid to overturn the PSL’s expulsion is set to be heard on May 20, and the fallout from the salary exposure has added another layer to an already heated battle.