Harare — DYNAMOS and Warriors defensive rock Thomas Sweswe has been snapped up by South African Premiership giants Kaizer Chiefs in a move that once again serves as a vote of confidence in the quality of domestic football.

Chiefs are bidding to reclaim the South African Premiership title, which they have not won in nearly four seasons, and are looking at assembling a strong side for the 2009-2010 season.

The Johannesburg glamour club signed Sweswe on a three-year deal believed to be worth more than R600 000.

In joining Amakhosi, Sweswe, a tough centre-back who has also shown he can be at home playing in a holding midfield role, has become one of Chiefs' major acquisitions so far.

The popular Johannesburg club sealed the deal to sign Sweswe over the weekend, paving the way for the 28-year-old defender to mark his return to the South African Premiership four years after his last dance with that country's top flight.

Sweswe's first dance with the South African Premiership was in the 2004-05 season when he featured for Manning Rangers, having joined the now defunct Durban outfit together with fellow Zimbabwean Dazzy Kapenya.

But Chiefs are a much bigger institution than Manning Rangers and Sweswe, aware of the pressure that comes with playing for such top teams that are religiously followed, said his experience at Dynamos and Highlanders would stand him in good stead in the face of huge expectations.

Sweswe's move to Chiefs, facilitated by South Africa-based sports management company Tamba Sport International for whom former Warriors midfielder Edzai Kasinauyo is a director, was also with the blessing of the Dynamos management with the Harare giants set to benefit from the sale.

DeMbare have in the past lost out on external sales of some of their players such as Justice Majabvi and Edward Sadomba as the players would have been free agents by the time they left the Harare giants.

But to their credit, the DeMbare management ensured that this time they had struck a deal that would ensure the club would benefit if a player of Sweswe's calibre was to move.

Sweswe's move means that the defender's last game in DeMbare colours was their away visit to Bantu Rovers at Barbourfields two weeks ago.

The former Mwana Africa defender did not play in Dynamos' 2-0 triumph over Lengthens at Rufaro last Sunday as he had just arrived from Johannesburg.

He will also not have a chance to play another game for Dynamos as he is, according Kasinauyo, expected to leave for South Africa on Friday.

Although he declined to discus the figures involved, Kasinauyo was hopeful that Sweswe's move would also open up opportunities for more local players to join some top South African clubs, which they can also use a gateway to much bigger European leagues.

Kasinauyo said Tamba Sport International were now working on the finer details of Sweswe's move ahead of a function at Chiefs' base at Naturena, to officially unveil the defender.

"We are just finalising on a few issues pertaining to paper work, but he has already done his medical and passed. He will officially be unveiled together with other Chiefs players at the end of this month.

"But we are happy for Thomas and I believe that we have a lot of talent in this country and there are some players that we are looking at promoting and hopefully Thomas will not be the first and last," Kasinauyo said.

Warriors skipper Benjani Mwaruwari went via Jomo Cosmos in South Africa before making it to Europe when broke into professional football from local side Air Zimbabwe Jets.

Sweswe, who had been appointed vice-captain to Desmond Maringwa for this season, however felt the switch was critical for his development

"It is a step forward in my career. Chiefs are a big team just like Dynamos. The only difference is that things are run professionally at Chiefs and they have facilities which are top-notch, but I don't think there is much of a difference in terms of the football so I will try to do my best for them.

"Obviously the fans will be expecting me to do well given that Dynamos had a good run in the Champions League (last year) and that fact that we are top of the table in the Premiership, but I will try to play my normal game.

"I also think the fact that Tinashe (Nengomasha) and Onismor (Bhasera) will be there will make it a lot easier for me to settle down.

"Having played for Manning Rangers, I still have an idea of how most of the teams in that league play," Sweswe said.

Although he is excited with the Chiefs move and a return to the South African football scene, Sweswe revealed a sadness in parting with the Dynamos family, "particularly the fans with whom I have had a special bond".

"Although I am excited to join another big club, I am also feeling very sad to leave Dynamos at a time when the new coach (Elvis Chiweshe) had built his foundation around me as vice-captain.

"But life has to move on and I have a family to feed so when Chiefs came with an offer I couldn't resist I had to go. They also told me that it had been long since they won the championship and that they would want to strengthen the team and fight for the title," Sweswe said.

Chiefs manager Bobby Motaung, who was in the country three weeks ago, also spoke highly of Sweswe on the club's website.

"Thomas' loads of experience will ensure that that we have a watertight defence next season," Motaung said.

The Chiefs team manager also revealed his admiration of the quality of the local game on his visit to Harare, during which he had a chance to watch a Division One game between Aces Youth Academy and Zinwa and a Premiership clash pitting Dynamos against Monomotapa.

Sweswe could also make his Chiefs debut in the annual Vodacom Tournament in which Amakhosi will battle for honours with Soweto rivals Orlando Pirates and Mwaruwari's Manchester City.

He also arrives at a Chiefs outfit that recently unveiled a new coach -- Serbian Vladimir Vermezovic.