Rulani Mokwena has cashed in millions in bonuses at Mamelodi Sundowns in the 2023/2024 season

This financial windfall comes as a result of his leadership, which saw Sundowns secure their record-extending seventh DStv Premiership league title in a row and the inaugural and lucrative African Football League (AFL) title.

Mokwena's contract entitles him to a share of the team’s prize monies, capped at six percent.  

Adding a layer of intrigue to the story, Mokwena's latest and amended contract has become a key document in the ongoing civil lawsuit case involving Sundowns, MT Sports, and Pitso Mosimane.

This contract, which was submitted to the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg under subpoena, provides a detailed insight into the financial aspects of Mokwena's tenure as the head coach.

In the latest contract, it’s recorded that when Mokwena was promoted as the head coach at Sundowns in November 2022, the terms of his new contract were amended to a fixed-term contract that started on 1 November 2022 and was expected to run until 30 June 2027.

Sundowns amassed a total of R115 million in prize money from the six competitions they participated in this past season, and Mokwena’s current contract entitles him to a bonus of six percent of this prize money.

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This translates to a substantial R6,900,000. Additionally, for the 30 Dstv Premiership matches, Mokwena is guaranteed a net performance bonus of between R5000 and R8,000 for each game won.

With the Brazilians winning 22 games, Mokwena's match performance bonuses amount to R176,000.

But it doesn’t stop there. For the 30 DStv Premiership matches, Sundowns’ bonus structure also guarantees Mokwena a net performance bonus of between R5000 and R8 000 for each game won.

This past season, Sundowns came very close to finishing the season unbeaten; they were prevented by stubborn Cape Town City in the last game of the season from completing a season of the Invincibles, as they lost 1-0 at Loftus Versfeld stadium.

Out of 30 league matches, the Brazilians won 22 games, and calculated at R 8 000 per win, this would mean that Mokwena got a total amount of R176 000 from the match performance bonuses.

In the latest contract, which was amended in 2022 to make him the head coach, Mokwena earns a gross monthly salary of R600 000, up from the gross monthly salary of R180 000 he earned as an assistant coach and co-coach.

With his new head coach contract having kicked in mid-season, at the end of the 2022/2023 season in June 2023, Mokwena also received a back pay of R904 000 before tax.

This is still a far cry from Mosimane’s last contract at Sundowns in 2020 before he left the club for Egyptian giants Al Ahly, he was earning a gross monthly salary of R1,5 million at the time.

Mosimane was also entitled to 10 percent of the total prize money during his tenure at Sundowns.

From this past season, Sundowns assistant coach Manqoba Mngqithi’s contract, which ends on 30 June 2024, he was earning a gross monthly salary of R440 000.

He also had league match performance bonuses similar to those of Mokwena, meaning he would’ve earned R176,000 from the games won this past season.

Mngqithi was also entitled to assistant coaches’ bonuses that are applicable to members of the coaching staff based on the club’s policies and bonus structure.

The former Golden Arrows head coach, who has been with the Brazilians for the past decade, is on the verge of renewing his contract with the league champions.

Prize money bonuses are normal for coaches at the elite level today; Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos is believed to have pocked around R4,7 million from the R47 million Bafana received for returning with the bronze medal at the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Côte D’Ivoire earlier this year.

Mokwena was also announced as the coach of the season during the virtual PSL awards last night, beating competition from Orlando Pirates Jose Riveiro and Stellenbosch FC’s Steve Barker.

Sundowns prize money for the 2023/2024 season:

MTN8: R800,000 (runners-up)

League: R15m (champions)

Carling Knockout: R300,000 (first round)

Nedbank Cup: 2,5m (runners-up)

Champions League: R22,2m (semifinals)

African Football League (AFL): R74m

Total = R114,8m