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South Africa welcomes back Olympic heroes

24 August 2016

Today we welcome home Team RSA . They showed what it means to #teamSArise @MorningLiveSABC @SPORTATSABC pic.twitter.com/rAXS5FLzC5

— Vaylen Kirtley (@VaylenKirtley) August 23, 2016

Hundreds of South Africans from all walks of life, complete with flags and vuvuzelas, greeted the South African Olympians returning home. Team South Africa landed at OR Tambo Airport early on Tuesday, 23 August 2016 from their successful Rio Games campaign where they won 10 medals, including two golds.

Despite a delay of the team's flight from Sao Paulo, the patient crowd, decked out in South African flags and even in traditional dress, kept the celebratory mood going, with quintessential South African singing and dancing.

#teamSArise More fans have piled into the arrivals hall. Flags, banners, whistles and vuvuzelas in full force. ML pic.twitter.com/GbOMmThsjs

— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) August 23, 2016

Introduced by Minister of Sport Fikile Mbalula, the South African team received an ecstatic welcome from fans as they walked into the arrivals hall. The loudest cheers were for gold medal athlete Caster Semenya.

#teamSArise Caster Semenya fans in full voice! ML pic.twitter.com/q5kWQ5b6k8

— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) August 23, 2016

Fellow gold medal winner Wayde van Niekerk and silver medallist Sunette Viljoen were unable join the rest of the team on their return. The other medal winners, including rowers Lawrence Brittain and Shaun Keeling, the rugby sevens team, swimmers Chad le Clos and Cameron van der Burgh, triathlete Henri Schoeman and long jumper Luvo Manyonga came out to greet the crowds, signing autographs and taking selfies with local fans.

Crazy atmosphere at the welcoming in JHB right now !! #teamSArise @teamsouthafrica pic.twitter.com/u6KokYF8Br

— Henri Schoeman (@H_Schoeman) August 23, 2016

Minister Mbalula

In case you missed out on this mornings greatness from South Africans welcoming their stars @MbalulaFikile. pic.twitter.com/jclOwhHxep

— Brand South Africa (@Brand_SA) August 23, 2016

Mbalula thanked the entire team on behalf of the country, saying that everyone should be proud of "this bunch of winners… even those who didn't win medals, we saw them fighting for our country and (they) will become heroes next time".

@teamsa16 gets rewarded for their hardwork by @sascoc & @MbalulaFikile during the media press briefing. #teamSArise pic.twitter.com/B0ZwWVnkaJ

— Brand South Africa (@Brand_SA) August 23, 2016

The minister presented the medal winners with incentive rewards promised by the sport ministry before the games began. Gold medal winners would receive R500 000, silver winners R250 000 and bronze winners R100 000.

Gold medallists Van Niekerk and Semenya, Mbalula said, would also receive R100 000 bonus for their wins, Van Niekerk would get an additional R50 000 for his world record. Silver medallists would get an extra R70 000 and bronze-winners R50 000.

Mbalula also reiterated that while the rewards may not be much compared to what international stars receive, he vowed to do all he could to ensure that all South African athletes from all sporting disciplines are compensated better in the future and are able to focus on becoming world class athletes.

Mbalula also awarded medals of excellence to the athletes for building South Africa's sporting reputation on an international level.

@MbalulaFikile handing over medals of excellence to @teamsa16 for their hardwork at #Rio2016 . #teamSArise pic.twitter.com/QGCWEXiIui

— Brand South Africa (@Brand_SA) August 23, 2016

Fans' reactions

Incredible Support for South African Olympians arriving at ORTIA this morning. #Rio2016 #teamSArise pic.twitter.com/i6jPCtI5mD

— gsport4girls (@gsport4girls) August 23, 2016

Xolani took an early Gautrain from Tshwane to get a front row view of the sporting heroes. "Ten medals is such a huge victory for the team and South Africa," he said. "The two gold medals for running were especially cool, because it means our athletes are now getting the international respect they deserve."

Madri from the East Rand, proudly waving a South African flag, said she owed it to the team to come out and welcome them back as thanks for all their hard work, "especially Caster, she has been through so much to get where she is today, finally winning the gold".

Peter Davis from Johannesburg is also proud of the gold medal wins, but pointed out that both the swimming team and athletes in some of the lesser known sports deserved to get as much appreciation for their accolades. "Also the rugby (sevens) team (who won the bronze medal), they fought hard for that medal. I watched all their games, and it was a tough fight… they really earned it."

On behalf of the team, Semenya thanked South Africans for their support during the Games, adding that her win in particular was dedicated to her family for their support in helping her achieve the ultimate prize of Olympic glory.

Caster Semenya thanks the world for supporting #TeamSARise pic.twitter.com/s2X6Q91Bq9

— Bafana Nzimande (@nzimandebafana) August 23, 2016

SouthAfrica.info reporter

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