Footballers join high-income earning group

Sport
BY FANUEL VIRIRI AND BRIAN NKIWANE SEVERAL premiership clubs have pushed up sign-on fees to as much as US$30 000 in a bid to lure players for the 2011 domestic season seeing footballers rank among some of the highest paid professionals in the country.

 

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) says a salary survey across all the industries has shown that the lowest paid workers are taking home US$170 while the highest paid workers, mostly chief executive officers, are earning upward of US$20 000 a month. Civil servants who constitute the highest number of workers earn US$150 per month.

However, the coming of cash-rich premiership clubs like Zvishavane-based platinum miners Mimosa have seen the sign-on fees for players shoot to between US$15 000 to US$30 000.  Sign-on fees are one-off payment to players before the start of the season. In addition the players are entitled to US$1 000 salary and US$400 winning bonuses, free accommodation and medical aid.

Investigations have revealed that Mimosa is offering between US$15 000 to US$30 000 as sign-on fees. The platinum miners have already snapped the Motor Action duo of Charles Sibanda and Bhekhi Ncube and Gunners’ duo of Norman Maroto and shot-stopper Tafadzwa Dube.

However, the club has not acceded to Highlanders’ Zephaniah Ngodzo’s demands for a whooping US$50 000 signing on fee.

Wellington Chibhebhe, the ZCTU secretary general said there was nothing unusual about footballers being among some of the highest paid professionals in the country.