FORMER Zimbabwe international Khama Billiat’s future at South African glamour club Kaizer Chiefs is uncertain following reports that he has refused to take a salary cut. Billiat is currently a free agent after his contract with the Johannesburg club expired on June 30.
Talks over a new deal have not yielded any positive results after Chiefs reportedly offered him a new contract which offers him less than he was earning. The veteran forward was among the highest paid players in the South African Premier Soccer League, reportedly earning R800,000 per month. Kaizer Chiefs’ football manager Bobby Motaung confirmed that they are currently in negotiations with Billiat over a new contract.
“I don’t know that [Billiat is refusing to accept a reduced package]. Khama is negotiating a new contract with the club [since] his contract has expired. It’s not a salary cut [that’s being negotiated]. A salary cut happens when somebody is earning so much and the employer cuts his salary,” Motaung told the South African newspaper Sowetan.
“With Khama, there’s no salary cut because the negotiations are still about the new contract. How can you cut the salary of a person who doesn’t have a contract? The negotiations are ongoing and we hope he stays but we don’t know what will come out of the negotiations at the end of the day.”
Billiat, who turns 33 in August, is reportedly weighing his options having also received offers from clubs in North Africa and Saudi Arabia. Despite the uncertainty, Billiat has been turning up for training at Chiefs.
There were however reports in the South African media on Tuesday that the former Mamelodi Sundowns star did not travel with the team to Mbombela for pre-season training camp due to the contract impasse.
