Former Springbok rugby winger Bryan Habana has opened up about financial woes involving his father, who he alleged had stolen money from him through endorsements.
Habana had a legendary rugby career as a prolific South African wing, earning 124 Springbok caps, winning the 2007 Rugby World Cup, being named World Player of the Year in 2007, and tying Jonah Lomu’s record with 15 Rugby World Cup tries before retiring in 2018 to move into business, media, and philanthropy, focusing on youth development and brand ambassadorship.
In an interview on the UK-based podcast, Business Sport, Habana revealed that at the height of his career, he trusted his father to handle his finances and later learned he had been stealing, which turned their relationship, and they have not been on good terms since 2010.
Habana said he relied on Bernie, his father, to handle the huge extra income which came from sponsorships and endorsement contracts – aside from the salary he was receiving as a professional rugby player.
He was under the impression that all the money from his extra deals was going into this trust, but it was instead going into his dad’s bank account.
He recalled having to call sponsors at the end of 2009, and let them know he was no longer allowing his father to negotiate his deals and endorsements.
“The CEO of Canterbury International e-mailed me back immediately and said ‘Bryan, we’ve just signed you for five years. We paid a very big re-signing fee.” When he tackled his father about it, Habana said he denied he had received any money, “but I had the contract in front of me… “It was tough.”
He said his father lied and was living off the money.
The first red flags were raised by his wife Janine, whom he married after. When they got married, the couple wanted a quiet wedding, but his father convinced them to go for a major public spectacle.
He was in New Zealand when he got calls from the wedding organisers saying Bernie had not paid them.
After discovering the mismanagement, he had to keep it secret and pretend all was well with his family.
