Zimpapers Logo

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
WARRIORS manager Wellington Mpandare has appealed to the local media to support Kaizer Chiefs talisman Khama Billiat, who is under attack by the South African media.

Billiat has been attacked for “failing to deliver” for Kaizer Chiefs despite being the highest-paid player in the South African Premiership.

Some South African legends have questioned whether Billiat deserves his fat pay cheque Amakhosi are paying him while putting up below par performances.

Mpandare claimed some of the reports are meant to incite Chiefs’ fans to turn against Billiat, as they portray him as a gold digger that only went to Amakhosi to just make a fortune without any passion to serve the interests of the club.

Mpandare said he believes most of the criticism appears driven by malice, with some people finding it difficult to reconcile with the fact that a Zimbabwean could be the highest paid footballer in the South African Premiership.

“It’s very clear that Khama is being targeted and there is nothing really that he can do right at the moment because a negative angle has to be sought and highlighted all the time,” said Mpandare.

“It’s been some kind of a pattern since he joined Kaizer Chiefs with some people seemingly unhappy with the deal, which his management team secured for him.”

Mpandare believes the Zimbabwean media should start rallying behind Billiat rather than just consuming and spreading, the lop-sided narrative being generated by some journalists across the Limpopo.

“I believe he deserves to be supported by our Zimbabwean media because he is a key member of the Warriors and has demonstrated, now and again, that he can deliver for his country.

“He has been outstanding for us in all the qualifiers for the last two Afcon tournaments we have played. He scored the only goal we got in Egypt and played at a very high level,” Mpandare told our Harare Bureau.

However, it is interesting that Mpandare mentioned the last Afcon tournament in Egypt because it was at this tourney that Billiat turned his back on the travelling Zimbabwe journalists and refused to grant them interviews.

He was, however, quick to field questions from South African and journalists from other countries, except his countrymen.

His behaviour almost influenced other players as they too began exhibiting signs of resentment towards Zimbabwe journalists.

It’s ironic that the Warriors’ manager is now appealing to the very same media whose pleas he turned a deaf ear on in Egypt when they sought his help to facilitate interviews with Billiat.

He did not reveal why he wanted nothing to do with Zimbabwean journalists and for scribes that were in Egypt, the embarrassment of being shunned by their own countryman is still vivid.

“It’s quite strange because in Egypt Khama was so arrogant to Zimbabwean journalists. He embarrassed us in front of foreign media, boldly telling us that he does not speak to local (Zimbabwe) media. Suddenly he is in trouble at his club the same journalists he snubbed must now support him. What hypocrisy! Worse still all this took place right in front of Mpandare,” said sportscaster Thandazani Zimbwa.