The ANC congratulates Orlando Pirates for advancing to the finals of the
African Champions League after courageously holding the two-time
continental champions, Esperance FC, to a 1-1 draw in Tunisia on
Saturday.

Not only did the goal by Rooi Mahamutsa in the second half of the game
silenced the hostile and terrifying Tunisian crowd, it also ignited a
sense of renewed pride, patriotism and confidence in our nation’s
ability to achieve the unimaginable on international platforms.

Despite the testing conditions, the intimidating Esperance supporters
and the pressure of taking on one of the continent’s soccer giants on
foreign grounds, the Buccaneers displayed character, tenacity and
determination to overcome the odds. The only South African club to have
won this tournament before, Pirates brilliantly displayed to all of us
the calibre of sporting temperament this country has not seen since the
early years of our democracy.

The strength of our national soccer team is in the quality of soccer
clubs and the competitiveness of the tournaments in which they
participate. When Pirates obtained its first star when it won the
African Champions League in 1995, a year later in 1996 Bafana Bafana
also won the African Nations Cup tournament.

We are confident that Pirates’ performance will reignite our national
soccer’s hunger to accomplish the impossible, the courage to conquer the
difficulties and the passion to pursue its dreams.

We are deeply encouraged by Pirates’ performance in this tournament thus
far, and we urge all South African to stand behind this truly South
African brand as it takes on Al Ahly of Egypt in the finals.