I Had To Leave: Khulumani Ndamane Exposes Why Kaizer Chiefs Was Holding Him Back

 TS Galaxy defender Khulumani Ndamane has spoken openly about his exit from Kaizer Chiefs, insisting it was not a painful departure but rather a positive step for his career.

The 21-year-old centre-back explained to iDiski Times that he came through Chiefs’ youth ranks from the U-19s to their reserve side in the DStv Diski Challenge but never broke into the first team. He said he recognised that, sometimes, things simply do not work out as planned.

“I saw that things were not happening the way I wished, so I decided to come to TS Galaxy,” Ndamane told iDiski Times. He added that, far from being angry or hurt, he accepted the reality of not getting first-team opportunities at Chiefs.

Once at Galaxy, Ndamane said, “things went my way.” He believes his move has helped him to grow both as a player and as a person. Galaxy, he noted, offers an environment where he can make mistakes, learn, and mature something he felt was harder under the intense pressure at Chiefs.

“At teams like Chiefs, expectations are huge,” he reasoned. Ndamane said that being at Galaxy has allowed him to develop without fear, and this has increased his mental strength as much as his technical ability.

His reflections resonate with his wider journey. Originally from a rural area in KwaZulu-Natal called Sahlumbe, he has spoken candidly about trials, setbacks, and perseverance. In an earlier interview, he made it clear that he left Chiefs not because of any conflict, but in pursuit of real playing opportunities.

Ndamane’s development at Galaxy has not gone unnoticed. He has already earned caps for Bafana Bafana, and he continues to harbour ambitions of playing for a bigger side in future. He has also spoken with respect about his time at Chiefs emphasising that he didn’t do “anything wrong” there.

For now, Ndamane seems content with his decision. He sees his move to TS Galaxy not just as a way to play regularly, but as a crucial phase for personal and professional growth. His story is a reminder that leaving a big club is not always about failure sometimes, it’s about finding the right place to bloom.