Zitha Kwinika: Chiefs' Defensive Anchor and New Tactics
Zitha Kwinika has barely missed a heartbeat this season. Every minute, every duel, every recovery run – he’s been there, anchoring a Kaizer Chiefs backline that suddenly looks far more assured alongside new partner Inacio Miguel.
Now in his fifth campaign since returning to Naturena, the 32-year-old sounds genuinely energised by what he sees around him.
“I think the team is also coping well with the new coaches and the new season,” he said, speaking to KickOff, before drawing a clear line between this Chiefs and the one that stumbled through last year. “I think we have proven in the games we have played that we, I would say, are a different team compared to last season. The style of play, and the structure show there's improvement.”
The message is simple: this is not the same Chiefs.
New ideas, new edge
There’s been a tactical reset under Da Cruz. You can hear it in the way Kwinika talks about the work being done on the training ground.
“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.”
Chiefs have talked about “projects” and “processes” before. The difference now will be judged not on slogans, but on the fixtures that have haunted them for years – the so-called “smaller” games where titles quietly slip away.
Kwinika knows it. He’s lived it.
A new attitude to ‘small’ games
Dropping points against struggling sides has become a recurring sore point for Amakhosi. Matches that should be routine have turned into long, frustrating afternoons. It’s a pattern Kwinika is desperate to break.
On Wednesday, they head to Princess Magogo Stadium to face Richards Bay, a fixture that in previous seasons might have been treated as just another league outing. Not anymore.
The defender says these clashes now carry the same emotional weight as the biggest date on their calendar.
The same intensity as a Soweto Derby? That’s the standard he’s setting.
“Obviously, Richards Bay is a difficult team to play against, yes, we give them the respect, but we also have our objectives, so we know what we expect and we have prepared well for them,” he explained.
“This season, we are in a different mission of saying the games that we need to collect points [from] are such games [against Richards Bay]. We must win these games.”
No ambiguity. No soft landing. Games like this are non-negotiable.
Chasing momentum, not just wins
For Da Cruz and his players, the target is bigger than a single result. Chiefs are chasing something they haven’t held in years – the league trophy – and Kwinika is clear about what it will take to stay in that conversation.
Consistency. Relentless, grinding consistency.
“Obviously, to keep the momentum is for us to get positive results,” he said. “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.”
He’s not talking about the occasional statement victory. He’s talking about building a dressing room that expects three points every week.
“So, I think getting used to winning is important because it just creates an environment of winners and winners get stronger by day.”
That’s the culture shift he wants. Not just playing better football, but living like contenders again.
Youth and new faces changing the mood
The optimism isn’t only tactical. It’s also about personnel.
Kwinika has watched the younger players and recent additions step into the spotlight, and he believes their impact is reshaping the squad’s mentality. Seeing academy products and fresh signings take real responsibility has given the entire group a lift.
“The new players are gelling well… to name like your [Langelihle] Phili scored a goal and your [Luke] Baartman, yes, they have been with the team but now getting an opportunity to start games,” he said.
“That shows we are in the right direction, and most players are understanding what’s required from them.”
Phili finding the net. Baartman earning starts. Senior figures like Kwinika locking down the backline. It all feeds into the same idea: a team that finally looks like it’s pulling in one direction.
Now comes the real test. Trips like Richards Bay, on a midweek at Princess Magogo, are where title dreams either gather speed or quietly stall.
