Former Cricket SA director reveals salary disparities among Proteas players

As Cricket SA tackles discrimination‚ racism and transformation issues‚ fresh attention is being given to the salary disparities in the organisation.

Former Cricket SA director Eugenia Kula-Ameyaw made startling revelations on Monday as the first witness to take the stand on the first day of the public hearings of Cricket SA’s social justice and nation building transformation project.

The hearings are chaired by transformation ombud Dumisa Ntsebeza‚ who called the proceedings the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of cricket as racial discrimination in the organisation is investigated.

Kula-Ameyaw‚ who served as an independent director from May to October 2020‚ said white cricketers earn almost 100%, or R77‚000, a month more than coloured players; Indians 32%, or R51‚000, less than whites; and Africans 26%, or R42‚000 less than their white counterparts.

Kula-Ameyaw presented a document titled “Salary Differentials Presentation”, which she said was shared with the previous Cricket SA board in August 2020. She had worked out the monthly average earnings of the players in both the Proteas senior men’s and women’s teams and used a sample of 34 players who are in the same category and level.

She said she used the earnings of eight white male players‚ eight male black Africans‚ three Indians and two coloureds. In the women’s side six white players‚ four black Africans‚ two Indians and one coloured were sampled.

“About the salary differentials‚ the average I worked through‚ the average for white players is R156‚216‚ black Africans is R114‚191‚ Indians coming in at R105‚209 and coloureds last at R79‚194‚” Kula-Ameyaw said.

Overall, the women earn 70%, or R80‚319, less than males on average and the lowest-paid senior national team players are coloured women at R34‚508 less than average.

“This was presented to the board. Some people are earning half of what their colleagues are earning‚” Kula-Ameyaw said. “The long and short of this‚ which is shocking‚ is that the discrimination and racism is systematic and entrenched. We shared this information with the minister.”

Kula-Ameyaw said the then board was given “raw data” from the human resources committee and she worked out the average earnings. The earnings were linked to the number of matches people played.

Ntsebeza‚ in consultation with evidence leader Sandile July‚ asked for a short recess to discuss Kula-Ameyaw’s presentation. When the hearing resumed after 10 minutes‚ Ntsebeza said his office needed more time to interrogate her presentation. Kula-Ameyaw will be called back at a later stage to field questions.

In his opening remarks‚ Ntsebeza said 58 written submissions were received and out of those 23 came from past and present players‚ 24 from cricket unions and interested organisations and 11 from what he called scene-setters.