“We need more of this, and not just in the domain of sporting achievement,” Ramaphosa said, pointing out that the number of black players in the squad had grown from one in 1995 – the legendary Chester Williams – to almost half of South Africa’s players in the 2023 final.
Ramaphosa said the team showed many of the qualities which he feels will be needed to address South Africa’s position as the most unequal country in the world.
“The patriotism we display in sports stadiums should be reflected in our approach to overcoming our challenges,” he added, emphasising that those issues could not be “forgotten or wished away” by the “fleeting moment” of sporting victory.
“We are all in this together as government, business, labour, civil society and citizens,” added Ramaphosa.
The result also aligned the president’s views with those of opposition party the Democratic Alliance, whose leader, John Steenhuisen, shared a statement from the Multi-Party Charter praising the team’s ‘Stronger Together’ motto.
“If we unite, nothing can stand in our way,” they said.
Many of South Africa’s vanquished opponents at the World Cup would no doubt recognise the truth of that statement.
