Baroka players accuse club of dribbling them over pay

Baroka has become the latest local club to be embroiled in the embarrassing nonpayment of salaries saga as sources allege players and staff were only paid half of their December earnings.

The sources include two players who spoke to Sowetan on the condition of anonymity. They confirmed yesterday that Bakgaga only paid 50% of December salaries, though the club’s management refutes this, only confirming they had paid the December salary in two batches instead.

Baroka are currently third on the Motsepe Foundation Championship table with 27 points, three behind leaders Orbit College after 17 outings.

“It’s very tough my brother because our kids have to return to school now and we don’t have money because we only got 50% of our salaries in December. The club promised to settle the remaining 50% on January 5 but they haven’t done so yet,” said the first player, who asked not to be named.

The second player also laid bare his financial distress. “My budget is messed up now because I had to dig into my savings to pay for my car and the rent. We were told that on January 5 we will get our money but the club hasn’t paid yet. They keep telling us that their sponsor hasn’t paid them so there’s nothing they can do but rumours say the sponsor has already paid, so they are taking us for a ride,” said the second player, who also asked for anonymity.

Baroka team manager Richard Mashabane disputed this, insisting everyone has been paid. “We’ve paid all the players and everyone working at the club. I really don’t know where this comes from. We paid the first 50% on December 20 and the other on December 30,” Mashabane said.

Sowetan has seen a conversation said to be from Mashabane informing players of the challenge to pay full salaries was as a result of the club’s sponsor transferring funds later than anticipated. “Management feel that it will be unfair if you go on Christmas without getting any salary,” reads the message.

Quizzed why they paid salaries in two instalments, Mashabane said they didn’t want the players to spend all the money recklessly during the festive season, insisting Baroka are not in a financial crisis. 

“Remember most of our players are Under-23, so we thought we can’t give them all the money during the festive season...we were actually trying to help them because we know what can happen during the festive season. We really don’t have financial problems,” Mashabane said.

Last month, Moroka Swallows failed to honour two PSL fixtures when their players refused to play without pay.