South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced a national holiday to celebrate the country’s victory in the 2023 Rugby World Cup, which took place in Paris over the weekend.
The Springboks secured their fourth Rugby World Cup title with a one-point victory over New Zealand, winning 12-11.
President Ramaphosa declared the public holiday in honor of the Springboks’ remarkable achievement, scheduled for December 15.
He expressed his desire for the day to be a symbol of hope, celebration, and unity, emphasizing that South Africa’s athletes have demonstrated what is possible.
The president viewed the Rugby World Cup triumph as a source of hope for the nation, given its challenges, including the world’s highest unemployment rate at 42%, economic issues, high poverty rates, and frequent power outages.
He aspired for the unity displayed by the team to extend beyond the realm of sports and become a more prominent feature of society.
President Ramaphosa highlighted the increase in the number of black players in the national squad, rising from one in 1995 to nearly half of South Africa’s players in the 2023 final.
He saw this as a positive example of the nation’s potential to address its severe inequality, as South Africa is considered the most unequal country globally.
The president urged the country to reflect the patriotism displayed in sports stadiums in its approach to overcoming societal challenges
With this win, South Africa has now claimed victory in half of the eight Rugby World Cup tournaments in which they have participated.
Source-BBC
