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Banyana arrive home to heroes’ welcome

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Banyana Banyana arrived home to a warm welcome at the OR Tambo International Airport on Sunday after qualifying for their first-ever Fifa Women’s World Cup.

Despite going down 4-3 on penalties to defending champions Nigeria in the African Women’s Cup of Nations in Accra on Saturday, Banyana made their country proud and as a reult, they will soon represent South Africa on the global stage at the World Cup.

The South African Women’s national team will be joined by Nigeria and Cameroon, who will all be representatives of Africa at the World Cup.

The Minister of Sport and Recreation, Tokozile Xasa, along with Minister of Women, Bathabile Dlamini, welcomed Banyana home at the airport, along with thousands of supporters on Sunday.

‘You’ve been given an opportunity, and you grabbed that opportunity. We know it’s not easy,’ Xasa said.

‘Banyana Banyana have done us proud, they have been very consistent in their performance, it is no surprising that they are team of the year.

‘They may not have won the final, but they are the true champions of this tournament. They have done us proud as a nation.’

Meanwhile, Banyana star Thembi Kgatlana, who was named Player of the Tournament, took the time to thank the supporters and the South African Football Association (Safa).

‘Thank you for supporting us throughout the tournament, for sending us messages, for encouragement, for always believing in us. I want to thank Safa, Sasol and the whole 52 million who were supporting us.

‘We went there to Ghana to qualify for the World Cup, it was the mandate. We did that together as a whole team and we are very proud of it. Thank you, and we love you everyone,’ Thembi said.