Olwethu Makhanya's Fresh Start with Bafana Bafana
Olwethu Makhanya doesn’t sound bitter. He sounds relieved.
Relieved that a chapter has closed, that a new one has opened, and that the feeling of being “overlooked” might finally be something he can leave behind with the Hugo Broos era.
The Rangers defender, widely regarded as one of South Africa’s brightest defensive prospects abroad, spent much of Broos’ time in charge watching from the fringes. Even at the FIFA World Cup in June, when his form and reputation suggested he could anchor the backline, he found himself stuck on the bench.
Now comes the reset: Pitso Mosimane in, Broos out, and with it a sense of renewal for players who never quite convinced the Belgian.
“I saw the coaching change as an opportunity for a fresh start in the national team because I always felt like I was overlooked by the previous coach,” Makhanya told SABC Sport. That line carries weight. It speaks to a player who felt he had done enough, but never truly earned the trust of the man picking the team.
One recurring theme during Broos’ reign was his open scepticism about Major League Soccer. Makhanya, who spent an important stretch of his development in the United States, sat right in the middle of that debate. Broos questioned the standard of the American top flight. Makhanya never bought into that narrative.
He still doesn’t.
“I never understood the criticism because all these people probably never actually watched the MLS. People that really watch that league will tell you that it's high level football,” he said, defending a competition that helped shape his career.
That’s not a throwaway defence of an old employer. It’s a pointed rebuttal of a broader perception. Makhanya believes too many opinions on MLS come from distance, not from detail.
To underline his stance, he went straight to rankings. No diplomacy, no fence-sitting, just his personal hierarchy of the leagues he knows best.
“Honestly, if I were to rank them, I'll put the Scottish Premiership first, second is the MLS, and the Betway Premiership is third.”
Scotland on top, the United States next, South Africa’s Betway Premiership third. It’s a snapshot of his journey and a clear indication of where he believes the toughest weekly tests arrive.
Now, under Mosimane, the question is simple: will that experience finally translate into a consistent role for Bafana Bafana, or will one of the country’s most promising exports once again find himself watching from the sidelines?
