Mamelodi Sundowns paid its former head coach, Pitso Mosimane, at least R6-million less than they paid his predecessor, Johannes Jacobus Neeskens.
Neeskens, who was hired and later pink-slipped by the Brazilians for lackadaisical performance, was paid €400 000 (R8-million) per annum after joining the club on November 8, 2011.
This was a shedload of money compared to Mosimane’s R2.640-million per annum salary when he joined the Chloorkop side the following year.
The riveting titbits came to the fore after Neeskens’ employment contract was submitted to the Johannesburg High Court recently.
This was after Mosimane’s lawyers, Mabuza Attorneys, subpoenaed Sundowns to make available the employment contracts of their previous and current coaches to determine whether they contained similar terms and conditions to Mosimane’s contract.
Neeskens’ contract, which we have seen, shows that the Netherlands-born mentor raked in millions of rands while plying his trade with South Africa’s richest club, despite the team’s poor run under his watch.
“As remuneration for the services to be rendered by the employee in terms of this agreement, the club shall pay to the employee an amount net of South African taxes and statutory levies equal to the rand equivalent of €400 000 (the “net remuneration”) for each 12-month period commencing on July 1 and ending on June 30 each year,” reads the contract.
The contract further states that Sundowns paid Neeskens in respect of the first 12-month period, with three payments totalling the rand equivalent of €133 333 in August 2011.
“…Leaving a balance due to the employee in respect of the net remuneration of the rand equivalent of €266 666, which amount shall be paid by the club to the employee in 10 monthly payments equal to the rand equivalent of €26 666.67 payable by no later than the last day of each month from September 2011 to June 2012 (both months inclusive),” reads the contract.
In respect of the period commencing July 1, 2012, until and including June 30, 2013, as stated in the contract, the club undertook to pay Neeskens the net remuneration divided into twelve monthly instalments equal to the rand equivalent of €33 333 per month.
Neeskens was further entitled to receive 10% of the prize money for the competitions he won.
This includes R400 000 for the Telkom Cup, R1-million for the Absa Premiership, $150 000 for the Caf Champions League, R800 000 for the MTN 8 and R600 000 for the Nedbank Cup.
Neeskens was also entitled to a payment of R10 000 for winning a single game, plus an additional R3 600 for three consecutive wins.
In addition to the remuneration payments and the bonus payments, according to the contract, the club undertook to provide accommodation, private transportation and airline tickets for the former coach.
After Neeskens was kicked to the curb for poor performance, the club replaced him with Mosimane. However, Mosimane, who signed the contract as the Brazilians head coach on December 2, 2012, was paid R220 000 per month, which amounts to an annual salary of over R2.6-million.
In simple arithmetic, Sundown paid Neeskens at least R6-million more than Mosimane’s package.
Mosimane’s salary was later bumped up to just under R600 000 when he signed his second contract with the company, which commenced in 2016–2020. The details of his contract from 2016 to 2020 are as follows:
“As remuneration for the services to be rendered by the employee in the agreement, the club shall pay to the employee, on the last business day of each month, a monthly gross salary of R597 912.”
This was still at least R800 000 less than what Neeskens took home.
Mosimane quit the club to join Egyptian giants Al Ahly after complaining about his work schedule and poor treatment, among other issues.
The club took him and his wife and agent, Moira Tlhagale, to court, demanding that they pay back the R8-million commission they paid her as he had left before the end of his contract.
The matter is before the court.
