Celebrations as world champions Proteas return home to hero's welcome
Hundreds of sports fans gathered at OR Tambo International Airport to welcome the World Test Champions, the Proteas.
They travelled from all parts of the province to get a glimpse of the winning team.
Super fans and ordinary South Africans alike transformed the airport into a festival of celebration with vuvuzelas, brass bands and spontaneous singing.
For Johan Mulder, the younger brother of Wiaan Mulder, who won the World Test Championship, watching his brother's success fulfilled both their childhood dreams.
'Since we were very young, we'd play cricket in the garden and talk about moments like this, playing for the Proteas, so just watching it happen has been an absolute dream come true,' he said.
With the ground floor of OR Tambo International Airport bathed in green and gold, travellers stopped to witness the arrival of the South African team that bested Australia in a nail-biting final, all while being taught how to blow vuvuzelas in tune with a high school brass and drum band.
Johan reflected on how, while watching his brother play, the most he could do was be a support system throughout the rollercoaster tournament.
'All you can do is speak to them and tell them just to back themselves because they get so much criticism from everywhere, and they've got the best coaching staff to help them, so you have to give them emotional support because you can't give them anything else can you?' he told News24 on Wednesday.
Wiaan's father, Pieter Mulder, visited England to watch his son play.
'We wish the whole country could have been there to see how everyone supports everyone,' he said.
The Mulders were not the only family in attendance at the airport.
Dozens of attendees flooded the arrivals terminal, waiting for the flash of white T-shirts that signified the team's arrival.
The win against Australia ended the Proteas' 27-year trophy drought.
Young and old alike stood at the barriers, trying to get a glimpse of the team. The air was so electric that a single sound would set off a chorus of chants, cheers, and singing.
One family, the Bekkers, was dressed head to toe in South African tracksuits, down to the two young children.
Seven-year-old Stehan and four-year-old Ryan, dressed in green tracksuits, eagerly awaited their heroes. Their parents permitted them to speak to News24.
'We love cricket,' said Stehan, whose favourite player is Marco Jansen, while Ryan named Temba Bavuma his.
'They're just really cool,' Stehan added.
'We can't get them in the house,' their mother, Charlene Bekker, said about her children's cricket obsession.
She added:
It's hard enough to get them to sit still and eat something.
When the players walked in, Stefan Bekker lifted his eldest son onto his shoulders to get a better look at his favourite player.
Lost in the sea of faces and flashing cellphones, the smile that beamed across his face was a small moment that could only be shared between father and son.
The Bekkers lived in Australia for eight years and moved back to South Africa less than a year ago.
Travelling from Pretoria East, they made it their mission to find their way to the airport for the team's arrival.
'It was the best decision of our lives to come back, to be here now and celebrate this. We won two rugby World Cups while we were in Australia. I always looked for fellow South Africans to celebrate with; now, we get to celebrate with the nation at the airport. It would've been crickets in Australia, excuse the pun,' Stefan said.
Super fans Peggy Magadani and Anthony Machoga were among the most passionate supporters, leading the singing that could be heard around the airport.
Both are frequent flyers when it comes to welcoming national heroes. They were at the airport when Bafana Bafana returned from the Africa Cup of Nations, and the Springboks returned from their World Cup victory.
'I'm so excited I don't even know what to say,' Magadani said.
Added Machoga:
It won't be the last time we'll be here. Whatever is happening outside of South Africa, when they come back, the journey continues.
Nine-year-old Daniel Winks, known as 'Daniel the cricketer' to his fans, has been playing cricket since he was three or four, to the point where his parents opened an Instagram account to share his experiences.
'Cricket is his life and has been since he was three or four. If he's not watching cricket, he's playing cricket. This is passion. So, we couldn't miss it,' his father, Ben, said. 'There was cricket on TV at home, and he grew up with it.'
When asked why he loves cricket, Daniel replied: 'It's so fun. There's lots of things to do. You never get bored. I like batting. It's fun,' noting that his high score was 74.
Daniel named Bavuma as his favourite player.
'When there's so much pressure, he takes it so calmly,' he said, excited after some of the Proteas signed his championship poster.
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