By A Correspondent
Former Kaizer Chiefs star Khama Billiat has plunged into financial turmoil, with Standard Bank South Africa dragging the Zimbabwean footballer to the Johannesburg High Court over a staggering debt of R372,066.
Court documents reveal that Billiat defaulted on an overdraft facility granted in 2020, with his last payment recorded in 2023. Initially expected to repay R80,000, interest and penalties have ballooned the debt to nearly five times the original amount.
According to the court papers, Standard Bank issued multiple notices in line with the National Credit Act, but Billiat failed to respond or engage with the bank. The institution is now seeking to attach his assets linked to the outstanding loan.
“The defendant failed to comply with the terms of the agreement. Despite demand, no payment has been received,” the bank’s legal representatives noted in the filing.
Billiat, once one of the most celebrated players in the South African Premier Soccer League (PSL), has since returned to Zimbabwe, where he now plays for Scottland FC. Sources say he is the highest-paid player at Mabviravira Stadium, but financial distress seems to have followed him across the Limpopo.
As of now, the embattled footballer has not issued any public comment on the case.
Fans and financial experts alike are questioning how a player of Billiat’s calibre and earnings could end up in such a dire financial position. The court battle is likely to shine a harsh spotlight on the often-hidden financial struggles of professional athletes after the peak of their careers.
Standard Bank’s legal move could see Billiat’s personal property seized if he fails to settle the debt or reach a payment agreement. The High Court is yet to set a hearing date.
The footballer’s fall from financial grace is a sharp contrast to his earlier days at Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns, where he earned a reputation as one of the most skillful and well-compensated players in Southern African football.
This latest development raises serious questions about financial management in professional sports—and whether Billiat’s case is the exception or part of a larger, troubling pattern.