Khama Billiat: Former Kaizer Chiefs Star Explains How Orlando Pirates Failed to Sign Him
Orlando Pirates came close to securing the signature of former Premier Soccer League standout Khama Billiat, but the deal never materialised. Instead, he went on to join Mamelodi Sundowns, later moved to Kaizer Chiefs, and eventually left South Africa for Zimbabwe, where he featured for Yadah Stars before a later switch to Scotland.
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Before his successful spell with Sundowns, Billiat had already impressed at Ajax Cape Town, now known as Cape Town Spurs. He spent five seasons with the Tshwane-based side, where he not only lifted the league title but was also part of the historic squad that clinched the club’s first CAF Champions League trophy.
His time at Kaizer Chiefs, however, did not deliver the success he had hoped for. Despite a five-year stay at Naturena, the Soweto giants failed to secure any major silverware during that period. The club ultimately decided to release him after contract negotiations broke down over improved terms the veteran forward was seeking.
How the Pirates move fell through
In an interview on Off the Pitch Chat, the Zimbabwean international opened up about how his potential switch to Orlando Pirates collapsed.
He explained that after three years with Ajax Cape Town, he returned to Zimbabwe at the end of a season. When he came back for the 2013/14 campaign, he was informed that his future lay elsewhere.
“I was told I had to report to Johannesburg to join Orlando Pirates because Ajax Cape Town had already agreed to sell me,” Billiat said. “The only thing left was to agree personal terms, but I turned it down. I never really saw myself playing for Orlando Pirates, maybe because of things I had heard from former players.”
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He added that his preference was always Mamelodi Sundowns, who had shown strong interest in him. “I wanted Sundowns because they wanted me, and I also wanted to play with players like Teko Modise. That’s how I ended up there, although a Pirates move was very close at one stage.”
Reflecting on his arrival at Sundowns, he noted that the transition was initially challenging, but support from his late agent Edzai Kasinauyo helped him settle. “He told me it wouldn’t be easy because it was a new environment, but I was welcomed well and things eventually worked out,” he concluded.
Source: Briefly News
