Olwethu Makhanya looks set to continue his international progress when South Africa face Egypt, after another encouraging outing in the current window underlined why he is becoming such an important part of this group. The defender has taken his chances well, and his second senior cap in the 2-1 win over Guinea added another layer to a promising start.
South Africa have used this window to give meaningful minutes to newer faces, and Makhanya has been one of the clearest beneficiaries. He made his debut before this international period, then featured again as Bafana Bafana beat Eritrea 5-0 with Makhanya and Ime Okon on the pitch together, before following that up with another appearance against Guinea.
Makhanya is making the most of his chance
Pitso Mosimane was upbeat about what he saw from the young defender, saying Makhanya was very good, along with Kamogelo Sebelebele and Okon. He also stressed that these are players who were part of the World Cup picture but did not play, and that they now need a chance to show themselves.
That is the key point in South Africa's recent progress. The results have been positive, but the bigger story is that the team are starting to bring through players who can matter in the long term. Mosimane went further after the Guinea win, saying Makhanya was up against a striker from Borussia Dortmund who is full of quality, and that he handled him very well.
For a young defender, that is exactly the kind of test that can fast-track belief. Makhanya has also become a major fan favourite at Ibrox since his summer arrival from Philadelphia Union, so there is already a sense that he is a player on the rise both at club level and internationally.
Why Egypt is the next big test
The match against Egypt matters because South Africa are now moving from encouraging window results into a clash with one of Africa's biggest teams. Ime Okon said Egypt is one of the biggest teams in Africa, and that as a player you always want to play the best teams and challenge yourself.
That is exactly the right frame for this fixture. South Africa's recent wins over Eritrea and Guinea have given the squad confidence, but Egypt will offer a different level of pressure and a clearer measure of progress. If Makhanya is trusted again, it will be another sign that South Africa are willing to keep backing players who are proving themselves in real time.
Okon also pointed to the academies doing well over the past few years, bringing players into the setup, and described the current picture as a true reflection of South African football at the moment. For South Africa, that makes the Egypt match more than just another game. It is a chance to see whether this emerging group can keep building against elite opposition.
Makhanya has already shown enough to suggest he belongs in that conversation. The next step is simple: carry that momentum into one of the biggest tests in African football.
