Kaizer Chiefs: Zitha Kwinika on New Season Changes
Zitha Kwinika has seen enough seasons at Kaizer Chiefs to recognise when something feels different. This one, he insists, does.
Five games in, the 32-year-old has not missed a minute, anchoring the backline alongside new partner Inacio Miguel. The pair have quickly become the defensive spine of Da Cruz’s reshaped side, and Kwinika is convinced the changes around them are starting to stick.
“The team is coping well with the new coaches and the new season,” he said, speaking to KickOff. “We have proven in the games we have played that we are a different team compared to last season. The style of play and the structure show there’s improvement.”
That word – structure – has haunted Chiefs in recent years. Too often, they’ve looked fragile against teams they were expected to beat. Too often, points have slipped away in fixtures that should have been routine. Kwinika knows it, and he’s tired of that story.
“There are new tactics that are being placed and we are trying to get to a certain way of playing that we enjoy. We are getting better as a team.”
Smaller teams, bigger stakes
For all the talk of systems and style, Chiefs’ season will be judged on days like Wednesday, when they walk out at Princess Magogo Stadium to face Richards Bay.
On paper, it’s not a glamour tie. In the dressing room, Kwinika says, it’s being treated like one.
A long-standing problem for Chiefs has been dropping points against so‑called smaller clubs. That, he insists, has to end if they are serious about chasing the Betway Premiership title.
“Obviously, Richards Bay is a difficult team to play against, yes, we give them the respect,” he said. “But we also have our objectives, so we know what we expect and we have prepared well for them.
“This season, we are in a different mission of saying the games that we need to collect points from are such games. We must win these games.”
No dressing it up. No excuses. Just a blunt acknowledgement that the margins for error have shrunk for a club still chasing an end to a painful league title drought.
Building a winning habit
Da Cruz has spoken about consistency since the day he walked in. For Kwinika, that idea is less about tactics and more about mentality. Chiefs, he argues, must learn to live with the pressure of winning every week.
“Obviously, to keep the momentum is for us to get positive results,” he explained. “I think that is the best way to keep the momentum, getting good results, mainly winning games. That’s the only way to keep the momentum going in the environment and the confidence.
“So, I think getting used to winning is important because it just creates an environment of winners and winners get stronger by day.”
It’s a simple formula, but one Chiefs have struggled to follow in the league for far too long. One win becomes two. Two become three. Only then, Kwinika suggests, can a squad truly believe it belongs in a title race rather than just talking about one.
Youth stepping up, squad buying in
Inside the camp, signs of that belief are starting to surface. They’re coming not only from the senior figures but from the club’s younger faces and recent arrivals, who have slipped into the first-team picture with minimal fuss.
Langelihle Phili and Luke Baartman are two of the most striking examples. Both have moved from squad options to starters, and both have made their presence felt.
“The new players are gelling well,” Kwinika said. “To name like your Phili, scored a goal, and your Baartman, yes, they have been with the team but now getting an opportunity to start games.
“That shows we are in the right direction, and most players are understanding what’s required from them.”
For a club under constant scrutiny, that understanding – of roles, of standards, of what each fixture demands – might prove as important as any tactical tweak.
Richards Bay away will offer another small but telling measurement. Chiefs have spoken about a “different mission”. Kwinika has laid down the challenge. Now it’s about whether this version of Amakhosi can finally turn those words into the kind of relentless, routine wins that define champions.
