Mapeza’s replacement doesn’t know who pays him

JOHANNESBURG. — Rhulani Mokwena, the man who replaced Norman Mapeza as Chippa United coach, says he doesn’t even know who pays his salary.

Mokwena has opened up on the club’s status amid salary cuts in the South African PSL, while also addressing talk that Orlando Pirates are still paying him.

Numerous clubs in the domestic Premiership and Championship are currently exercising cuts to players’ and staff ’s salaries amid the tough economic times in the country, due to the ongoing national lockdown.

However, Mokwena has confirmed that this has yet to affect Chippa — a club previously reported on multiple occasions to have paid players’ salaries paid late or short.

The former Pirates interim coach, who is currently “on loan” at the Chilli Boys, has revealed that he has no knowledge of where his salary is coming from, but insists his main focus is instead on whether the players are getting paid fully and on time.

“Look, I don’t know. I don’t know where I’m getting paid (from). I don’t know who pays my salary,” said Mokwena with a wry smile during an online press conference yesterday.

“Those things are not important to me, what’s important is that I’m doing training every day and I do what I love. So, I just enjoy my work; I’m stuck into the work.

“I give my best to Chippa, regardless of who’s paying my salary, but I think that’s for my agent — those are the legalities that my agent takes care of. I don’t even know, to be honest.

“The players’ concerns become my concerns, and regardless of who pays my salaries, if the players’ salaries are not being paid then I’m the first to pick up the phone and speak to the chairman.

“Because, of course, it affects my job. If the players are unhappy, it’s very difficult for them to perform and it comes back to the coach bearing the brunt of the results.

“So, it’s important that the players’ concerns become adopted by me, and I cannot be selfish. As coaches, we can’t exclude ourselves from the team and the group.

“So, regardless of who pays my salary, if the players’ salaries are not paid; if they are not paid on time or there’s a deduction on salaries, it’s my responsibility as the leader of the group to take it up with the chairman of the club.” — Kick-Off.com.