BEST IN THE WORLD

SEVERAL thousand supporters were at the main airport in Johannesburg yesterday to welcome home World Test Championship winners South Africa.

Temba Bavuma captained the Proteas to a five-wicket triumph over long-time rivals Australia at Lord's last Saturday to end a 27-year major trophy drought.

He and coach Shukri Conrad were the first to greet cheering supporters, with both holding the Mace they received for being crowned champions.

Each player then carried a bouquet of flowers while shaking hands with some supporters, hugging others and signing autographs.

Among those who greeted the team on a cool, sunny winter morning in the South African commercial capital was sports minister Gayton McKenzie, who was vol smiles. 

This after the Proteas became the latest South African sports team to win on the world stage.

The Springboks won back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles in 2019 and 2023, Banyana Banyana are the current Wafcon title holders, Upington-born Rayno Nel won the 2025 World’s Strongest Man competition and Brendali Theron was crowned the World’s Strongest Woman in Dubai last month.

A proud McKenzie said: “We are the best sports nation in the world, nobody can argue that. We have the best cricket team, the best rugby team and Bafana Bafana have gone 20 games without defeat.

“We have the world’s strongest man, the world’s strongest woman. We have the fastest runners, the best surfers in the world. We are a bunch of winners!”