Banyana Banyana welcomes a hero – SABC News

Banyana Banyana has been given A hero’s welcome at OR Tambo International Airport in Gauteng – where crowds of jubilant fans gathered at the arrival of the soccer stars.

And the champions of Africa are coming. #SABC News #WAFCON2022 #WAFCON22 photo.twitter.com/huGSb0QLAe

— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) July 26, 2022

The country’s senior women’s national team won the 2022 African Women’s Championship (Wafcon) on Saturday, beating Morocco 2-1.

“Today’s celebration is certainly an honor for us as a country. It’s about the team and they got our vision, they stuck to the plan, they carried our country’s hopes and their own to win the Wafcon,” says Danny Jordaan, CEO of the South African Football Association.

SAFA President Danny Jordaan says the difference between men and women in football is not a SAFA, CAF or FIFA issue but a societal issue.

“Brazil pays men and women the same and Norway followed and we must follow as well.” #SABC News #WAFCON2022 #WAFCON22

— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) July 26, 2022

The arrival of Banyana in pictures by Sipho Kekana:

Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa was among the delegates who welcomed the team, but not everyone was happy to see him.

We have arrived at OR Tambo International Airport to welcome the queens of African football @Banyana_Banyana. 🇿🇦

We are pleased to see that the investments made by the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture and other key players in women’s football are yielding positive results. photo.twitter.com/VTiCZHcuKI

– Min. Nathi Mthethwa (@NathiMthethwaSA) July 26, 2022

Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa is booed by a section of football fans at the start of his speech at the welcome ceremony at #BanyanaBanyana.

A crowd of fans chants “We want the money” as he speaks. #SABC News #WAFCON2022 #WAFCON22 photo.twitter.com/fV3JqHGncR

— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) July 26, 2022

“Banyana will be paid the same as men because we are guaranteeing it as government. Critics who talk about what they don’t know, we don’t care about them” Nathi Mthethwa#SABC News #WAFCON2022 #WAFCON22

— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) July 26, 2022

Meanwhile, some women in the Salt River area of ​​Cape Town, where Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis grew up, say they expected nothing less than victory from her and the team.

These ladies say the victory has come at the right moment as the country needs positive news.

“I think it’s amazing that it’s a female and obviously it’s great for us as a nation because we need something positive, we’ve had a lot of negative things, stress relief, water shortages, so it’s nice to have something positive that we can celebrate.”

Another woman says: “Many people look down on women, they are discriminated against every single day so I think it’s really good for women.