Banyana Banyana receive hero’s welcome

Banyana Banyana has been given a hero’s welcome at the OR Tambo International Airport in Gauteng – with scores of cheering fans gathered for the arrival of the soccer stars.

And the Champions of Africa arrive. #SABCNews #WAFCON2022 #WAFCON22 pic.twitter.com/huGSb0QLAe

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

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

“The celebration today is certainly an honour for us as a country. It is about the team and they delivered on our vision, they stuck to the plan, carried the aspirations of our country and their own to win the Wafcon,” says South African Football Association’s Chief Executive Officer Danny Jordaan.

SAFA President Danny Jordaan says the disparities between men and women football are not SAFA, CAF or FIFA issues but societal issues.

“Brazil pays men and women the same, and Norway followed and we must also follow.” #SABCNews #WAFCON2022 #WAFCON22

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

Banyana’s arrival in pictures by Sipho Kekana:

Minister of Arts and Culture 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 Airtport to welcome the Queens of African football @Banyana_Banyana. 🇿🇦

We are delighted to see that the investments the Department of Sport, Arts & Culture & other key partners have made in women’s football is yielding positive results. pic.twitter.com/VTiCZHcuKI

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

Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa gets booed by a section of the football fans at the beginning of his speech at the welcoming ceremony of #BanyanaBanyana.

A group of fans sing “We want the money” as he speak. #SABCNews #WAFCON2022 #WAFCON22 pic.twitter.com/fV3JqHGncR

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

“Banyana will be paid equally as men because we are making sure of that as government. Critics who talk about what they do not know we don’t care about them” Nathi Mthethwa#SABCNews #WAFCON2022 #WAFCON22

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

Meanwhile, some women in the Salt River area in Cape Town, where Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis grew up, say they expected no less than a win from her and the team.

These ladies say the victory came at the right moment as the country needs some positive news.

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

Another woman says, “Many look down on females they are discriminated against every single day so I think it is a very good thing for females.”