Ngwenya targets Golden Boot glory after Billiat and Musona comparisons

AmaZulu striker Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya has won the first Betway Premiership Player of the Month award of the 2026/27 season, while Abdeslam Ouaddou was named Coach of the Month.

The Zimbabwe international has made a spectacular start to the campaign, scoring five goals in four league matches during August to move to the top of the early scoring charts.

His form has also earned him a call-up to the Zimbabwe national team, following a season in which he finished as AmaZulu’s leading scorer with six league goals.

Ngwenya is now being encouraged to build on that promising start and establish a lasting legacy in South African football similar to those created by fellow Zimbabweans Khama Billiat and Knowledge Musona.

AmaZulu coach Arthur Zwane recently compared Ngwenya with the two former PSL forwards, who enjoyed distinguished careers in the competition. The praise has particular significance for Ngwenya because Billiat was one of his childhood role models.

“I feel happy because one of those players is my role model, Khama Billiat,” Ngwenya said at an Usuthu media open day at the Kings Park Stadium outer fields earlier in the week. “It makes me feel happy because every time I talk to him, he always tells me to share things with him.”

Musona first made his name at Kaizer Chiefs during the 2010/11 season, scoring 15 league goals to win the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot. He went on to score 40 goals in 88 appearances over two spells with Amakhosi.

Billiat enjoyed a trophy-filled spell in the PSL, scoring more than 70 league goals, including 41 for Mamelodi Sundowns. In 2015/16, he won the PSL Footballer of the Season, Players’ Player of the Season and Midfielder of the Season awards. He also won three league titles and the CAF Champions League.

Ngwenya has already scored eight goals in all competitions this season, but he recognises that his bright start will bring increased attention from opposing defenders.

“Obviosuly this is a big challenge because they’re going to try to always mark me,” Ngwenya said. “I will try to find another way to penetrate this.”

The striker understands that scoring against defences which have not yet identified a threat is different from maintaining a high return once opponents begin building their plans around stopping him.

For now, however, Ngwenya appears willing to embrace the extra pressure as he attempts to establish himself as one of the league’s leading forwards.

Asked what would represent a successful season in front of goal, he set himself a straightforward target.

“Double figures, you can say double figures.”

Reaching at least 10 league goals would mark another important stage in his development and improve on last season’s total. His form has also raised expectations among supporters in Zimbabwe, who want to see him reproduce his club performances for the national team.

“Everyone is waiting for me, saying I must take that performance to the national team,” he added. “So it’s like pressure, but I will just leave everything to the Most High.”

Ngwenya’s five goals in August have placed him firmly in the early Golden Boot conversation and earned him individual recognition at the beginning of the new season.

If he can maintain his scoring form, the comparisons with Billiat and Musona may develop from an encouraging assessment by Zwane into a measure of Ngwenya’s own standing in the PSL.