Khama Billiat, the Zimbabwean football star, has finally broken his silence on his controversial departure from South African giants Kaizer Chiefs, revealing the intense pressure and mental toll that led to his decision not to renew his contract.
The revelation comes in an interview on the MhlengiSports YouTube Channel, where Billiat candidly discussed his time at Naturena and his subsequent move back to Zimbabwe to join Yadah FC.
Billiat's five-year stint at Mamelodi Sundowns was a resounding success, yielding three league titles, a Nedbank Cup, a Telkom Knockout (now Carling Knockout Cup), the CAF Champions League, and the CAF Super Cup. His move to Kaizer Chiefs in 2018, at the peak of his career, was initially met with excitement. He was reportedly one of the highest-paid players in the league, a status that, as he now explains, became a significant factor in his eventual departure.
While Billiat acknowledges enjoying his time at Chiefs and expresses pride in reaching the CAF Champions League final in 2021, he admits that the pressure to perform, coupled with persistent injuries and the relentless scrutiny of social media, became overwhelming.
He stated, "Look, negotiations always go either way, I felt like it was time for me to move back home. They wanted me to stay, but I don’t think I was mentally strong enough to take another season again. With all the injuries I was getting, all the pressure I was getting. It was frustrating. It was frustrating I think because I wanted to play so much and I wanted to contribute so much, but yeah, I would have loved to stay but negotiations did not go well."
The pressure, Billiat explains, wasn't solely performance-related. The perception that he was overpaid, while not contributing to any trophies during his time at Chiefs, added to the weight on his shoulders.
He clarified, "I didn’t mind the salary cut, I appreciate it. I would have stayed, but I just felt like the pressure was too much for me to take, a lot was going on. I was not sure if I would be injury-free had I stayed for another season and also with the social media pressure it was not easy.
"I am the only one person, so I couldn’t take so much and it got to a point where most of the time I was not myself even when I was at home because there was so much to deal with. So yeah, I apologize about what happened during that time of negotiations and salary cut issues, It was just a lot for me."
Despite the criticism, Billiat maintains a positive outlook on his time at Kaizer Chiefs. He emphasised the camaraderie within the team.
"I feel like people don't realise how much I enjoyed my time at Chiefs. I played in the CAF Champions League final, it was not easy. [There are] not many fortunate people who are able to play in the CAF Champions League final. I respect what they did to me, I got what I felt I deserved, no disrespect. It's a big team that took care of me so much. Maybe I didn’t perform the way they [fans] expected, but I did enjoy my time and I feel I contributed a little bit in a positive way – it might be in the changing room, training. I really do appreciate," he said.
He also addressed rumours of friction in the dressing room due to his high salary, stating, "You wouldn't know how people felt, but I had a great relationship with a lot of them. It was more of an outside thing, where people speak and try to divide the changing room in a way, but we were so good. We would go out together and we had times when we visited each other."
Following the expiry of his contract in June 2023, Billiat briefly returned for pre-season training before disappearing for several months. Links to clubs in the Middle East, Cape Town City, and SuperSport United failed to materialise, leaving him without a club for six to seven months before his eventual return to Zimbabwe to join Yadah FC in February.
His move to Yadah has proven to be a rejuvenating experience. He is currently a joint top goal-scorer in the Zimbabwean Premiership with 12 goals, a remarkable feat that has also led to his recall to the Zimbabwe national team after retiring in 2021. His contributions have been instrumental in Zimbabwe's recent back-to-back victories over Namibia in AFCON qualifiers.
Billiat's resurgence in Zimbabwe stands in stark contrast to his time at Kaizer Chiefs. While his tenure at Naturena didn't yield the trophies expected, his candid account reveals the immense pressure and mental strain he endured.
His decision to prioritise his mental well-being over continued high-profile football in South Africa offers a valuable insight into the human cost of professional sports, particularly the intense scrutiny faced by high-profile players. As he looks ahead to potentially winning the Zimbabwean PSL Golden Boot, Billiat's story shows that success is multifaceted, and sometimes, stepping away is the bravest move of all.
Meanwhile, Kaizer Chiefs continue their quest for silverware, with a Carling Knockout Cup last-16 clash against SuperSport United scheduled for Saturday, October 19th.
