Olwethu Makhanya named Scottish Premiership Player of the Month

Olwethu Makhanya has been named Scottish Premiership Player of the Month for September after an impressive start to his Rangers career.

The Bafana Bafana defender was recognised for his performances during a perfect month for the Glasgow club, which won all five of its matches across all competitions.

Rangers’ run included four Scottish Premiership victories and helped strengthen their position at the top end of the table. Makhanya played an important part in that sequence, earning individual recognition alongside manager Derek McInnes.

McInnes was also honoured after being named Scottish Premiership Manager of the Month for guiding Rangers through an unbeaten September in which they won every game.

The joint awards reflect the contribution of the wider Rangers squad and coaching staff, as the club completed a 100% record during the month.

For Makhanya, the prize is another important achievement in his first season in Scotland. The 23-year-old joined Rangers from Stellenbosch FC during the off-season and has quickly become an important option in McInnes’ defence.

His performances have now been rewarded by the Scottish Premiership, placing his name among the competition’s leading performers for September alongside his manager.

The defender’s progress will also be closely followed in South Africa as Bafana Bafana continue to assess their defensive options under head coach Pitso Mosimane.

Makhanya has already represented Bafana and will hope his form for Rangers strengthens his case for a return to the national team. The competition for defensive places in Mosimane’s squad makes his continued development particularly significant.

For now, Makhanya’s priority will be to maintain the level of performance that brought him the September award.

His success, together with McInnes’ managerial honour, completes a notable month for Rangers: five matches, five wins and individual awards for the manager and one of the key defenders in his squad.