Olwethu Makhanya: A New Dawn for South Africa's Defensive Star

Olwethu Makhanya does not sound like a man looking back in anger. He sounds like a defender who has survived a storm and now finally sees a clear path in front of him.

For a player widely regarded as one of South Africa’s brightest defensive prospects, his time under former Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos never quite matched the billing. While his club profile soared – a Rangers player, a growing reputation abroad – his international career stalled. He watched key games, including the FIFA World Cup in June, from the bench.

That hurt. And he is honest about it.

"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.

The arrival of Pitso Mosimane has reset the mood around the national team and, for Makhanya, reopened a door that had started to feel firmly shut. Under Broos, he carried the label of “promising export” without the minutes to match. Now, he speaks like someone who believes his time might finally be coming.

Broos’ reign was never short of debate, and one of its recurring flashpoints was his view of Major League Soccer. Makhanya spent a formative part of his career in the United States, yet the Belgian questioned the level of competition in the American top flight. The criticism struck a nerve.

"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," Makhanya said.

That line reveals plenty. This is not just a player defending his résumé; it is someone defending a league he feels is routinely dismissed by people speaking from distance, not experience.

He has lived the journey: from South Africa to MLS, then on to Rangers and the Scottish Premiership. That gives weight to his personal ranking of the competitions 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."

It is a simple list, but it underlines his point. In his eyes, MLS belongs in serious football conversation, not as a punchline in a press conference.

Now, with Mosimane in charge and a new chapter beginning for Bafana Bafana, Makhanya stands at an intriguing crossroads: proven abroad, battle-tested by disappointment, and finally in a national-team setup that might trust what he has seen and where he has played.