The African National Congress joins the rest of the nation to take off our hats for our national soccer hero, Shaun Bartlett for being joint top goal scorer in the Africa Cup of Nations competition which ended in West Africa on Sunday.
Despite Bafana Bafana going only as far as the semi finals of the competition, Bartlett did South Africa proud by remaining the top goal scorer until Cameroun's Patrick Mboma equalled his tally during the penalty shoot-out at the end of the Cup final with Nigeria.
Bartlett's feat has once againshown that South Africa's strikers rate among the bestin the world.Bafana Bafana's prodigal son, Benni McCarthy made a similar achievement when he was joint top scorer in the 1998 Africa Cup of Nations competition in Burkina Fasso where the South Africans were runner - ups, after losing the final to Egypt.
Bartlett's achievements gives South African sports lovers something to cheer about, at a time when the country's soccer fraternity is embroiled in the unfortunate,but explosive debate over the issue of the coach, following the national team's failure to reach the finals of Africa's most prestigious soccer competition.
It would be in the interest of soccer in particular, and sport in general if, even in the darkest hour, we could learn to identify and celebrate any positive aspects of our performance and build on them, whatever the overall outcome.Shaun Bartlett's outstanding performance is a case in point.
For more info, contact Nomfanelo Kota - Mayosi at 082 570 5072
Issued by the Head of the Presidency:
Smuts Ngonyama
African National Congress
51 Plein Street
Johannesburg 2000