Kaizer Chiefs defender Zitha Kwinika has sent a heartfelt message to teammate Ashley Du Preez, who has come under fire following heavy social media criticism.
Du Preez faced criticism after returning to the Chiefs’ starting line-up in their 2-1 defeat against Stellenbosch FC in the Betway Premiership on Tuesday at FNB Stadium.
Amakhosi suffered their second successive defeat in all competitions after suffering a 2-1 loss against Egyptian giants Zamalek SC in the final match of the CAF Confederation Cup group stages.
As a result, Chiefs finished third in Group D of the Confederation Cup as Zamalek and Al Masry finished first and second to qualify for the knockout stage of the tournament.
In a crucial league match against Stellenbosch, Chiefs were quick to stamp their authority in front of their home fans, creating most of the scoring chances. However, the Naturena-based were wasteful in the final third, failing to convert a handful of chances that could have put the game beyond reach for Stellies.
Du Preez missed the biggest chance of the first-half for Chiefs after looping the ball over Stellenbosch goalkeeper Sage Stephens, but he couldn’t roll the ball into an empty net. The missed scoring chance drew heavy criticism on social media for Du Preez as fans expressed their frustrations with his lack of sharpness in the final third.
Before returning to the matchday squad, Du Preez missed several matches for Chiefs after being sidelined due to an injury setback. This season, the 28-year-old has yet to open his scoring account after featuring in nine appearances across all competitions and providing one assist.
WHAT KWINIKA SAID TO DU PREEZ AFTER SOCIAL MEDIA CRITICISM
In the first round of the 2025/26 season, Du Preez had many other scoring opportunities that could have decided the outcome of the matches, but he struggled to hit the back of the net.
With Du Preez searching for his first goal of the season, Kwinika told the pacey forward to never doubt himself and remember he’s good enough, hence he’s playing for Chiefs.
“Can I be honest with you? The Zitha that I am and the leadership style that have, I’ll just say Ashley, you know you good enough, you didn’t come [to Chiefs] by luck, such things happen in football and when you get another opportunity, you’ll score and we’ll go to the corner to celebrate with you,” Kwinika said when replying to a question from FARPost.
Du Preez will be hoping to break his scoring drought when Chiefs lock horns with Orlando Pirates in the Soweto derby at FNB Stadium on Saturday. Kickoff for that match is 15:30.
The Bafana Bafana international has been with Chiefs for over three years, having signed with the club in 2022 from Stellenbosch FC as a high-profile signing. In his spell at the Glamour Boys, Du Preez has scored 19 goals and registered nine assists in 93 matches.
RELATED STORY: Du Preez makes bold claim about Chiefs’ league chances