Kaizer Chiefs star Khama Billiat clocks 10 years in SA league. That was in August 2010, when South African football was abuzz, just a month after the country had become the first and only African nation to host the FIFA World Cup finals.
Billiat had just graduated from being a teenager on August 20, 2010 when he featured for his new side Ajax Cape Town in a MTN8 quarter-final clash against Mamelodi Sundowns — a team he would join later and flourish within his career.
As if it was designed by the football gods, Khama Billiat made his debut in the South African Premiership just a day after celebrating his 20th birthday. Billiat turns 30 on August 19 and what a decade it has been for the Warriors talisman, who has often divided opinion within both the local and South African football fraternity.
The Kaizer Chiefs forward, who is the highest-earning player in the ABSA Premiership, has come under scrutiny in recent weeks following a rather disappointing season for Amakhosi.
Billiat, whose second season at Kaizer Chiefs has been hampered by intermittent injury spells, had scored one goal in 13 league appearances for the Soweto giants, who led the ABSA Premiership log table when the season was halted in March due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The Billiat saga has attracted widespread attention both locally and in South Africa, and the Warriors star has not yet responded publicly to the criticism.
His manager Mike Ngobeni of Msport, however, insists that the forward is focused on delivering for Chiefs on the pitch as much as he has done with Ajax and Sundowns in his decade in South Africa. “Khama has been a great ambassador of Zimbabwe through the awards he has been getting and his fans, the Zimbabwe nation, salute him.
“Since his arrival in SA, he has had several appearances with the Zimbabwean national team. Starting with the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, various friendly matches, one in which he scored his first goal for Zimbabwe against Zambia. He also played for the national team at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations,” Ngobeni said.
“As Msport Management, we know that Khama is happy at Kaizer Chiefs and the club is also impressed with him as they are both contributing to his and the club’s success and goals. “As long as Khama is happy, he gives the game his all.’’
In the decade under review, Billiat has scored a combined 66 league goals in 221 Premiership appearances. But there is no doubting that his finest hour came in 2016 when he inspired Mamelodi Sundowns to Champions League glory before being nominated for that season’s CAF Player of the Year award.
Billiat also won three major gongs at the ABSA Premiership awards in 2016, bagging the Players’ Player, Midfielder of the Season, and Footballer of the Season awards. The Mufakose-bred star has also attracted media attention with his off-the-field shenanigans in “Mzansi” and a penchant for life in the fast lane.
George Comitis, co-owner of Ajax Cape Town, who signed Billiat from CAPS United, reckons that there has been undue pressure on the player. Comitis, however, maintains that there were no doubts about Billiat’s qualities as a player. “He has not had a good season at Chiefs. There has been a lot of pressure on the kid,” Comitis told The Sunday Mail Sport.
Kasinauyo effect
George and his brother John were the major shareholders of Ajax Cape Town when the late Edzai Kasinauyo facilitated Billiat’s move to the Urban Warriors. And Comitis feels the death of Kasinauyo in 2017 was a huge blow for Billiat. “You see, Edzai was like a father to Khama, he kept him in check. He kept him focused on the job and I think Khama needs some persuasion now.
“He needs somebody to look after him so that he stays in the right path. “We had a very good relationship with Edzai; very sad he is late. He brought us Khama Billiat and Tafadzwa Rusike for trials and we also made an association with the academy they were coming from.
“They both impressed our new coach back then, who was Foppe De Haan,” recalled Comitis. “We also had a perfect relationship with Ajax Amsterdam, who came to scout for players from our team. We had a very good nursery for players at Ajax Cape Town and Khama was one of the most exciting prospects.
“That relationship we had with Ajax Amsterdam allowed Thulani Serero to have a trial with the Dutch giants after we had done well in the 2010/2011 season, in which we finished second behind Orlando Pirates.
“Thulani had a phenomenal season. He was voted Player of the Year and was subsequently invited for trials at Ajax Amsterdam. That’s how he got there. “Unfortunately for Billiat, at that time Serero was the star, and he went to Amsterdam ahead of Khama. But we were pretty sure he was one for the future.
“So, when Thulani left, Khama stepped up to the podium. But, we eventually sold our shares in the team to other guys in 2012 and unfortunately, they didn’t have that good link with Ajax Amsterdam and they ended up selling Khama to Mamelodi Sundowns,” Comitis said.
“I personally think Khama could have played overseas; he is a quality player. He was phenomenal. “He was a fantastic kid, very good in the change room and someone who loved to get all the attention which was a sign of a good striker.”
Manchester United link
Comitis also spoke about Billiat’s Manchester United link after the Zimbabwean had impressed in a friendly match between Ajax Cape Town and the Red Devils in July 2012.
“I remember having a very good conversation about Billiat with Bryan Robson, who was then a scout at Manchester United when they came down here for a friendly match with our team.
“They were impressed by Billiat and only wanted to see if his goal-scoring ability would improve. They were concerned with how good he was when it came to putting the ball into the net regularly.
“At that time, he (Billiat) wasn’t scoring as much as he went on to do later in his career. He was still young and sometimes lacked that consistency, which these Manchester United guys were searching for.
“He was eventually sold to Sundowns, which I think was a very good move. “I have never been worried about Khama’s frame because of what he can do with the ball. He is very quick, intelligent and superb. “Besides, there are a lot of smaller players overseas. Even Messi, he isn’t that big!”
Source – Sunday Mail
In other news – Universities reopening date set
Universities reopening date set. By last Thursday, all universities had submitted reopening plans with the new roadmap coming from a consolidation of their suggestions. Universities will be reopening from June 1, but only final year students will be on campus with the rest learning remotely using virtual and distance education and most activity online.
Speaking to The Herald, Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Amon Murwira said universities would…continue reading.
