Parliament wishes Orlando Pirates Football Club well as they take on Al Ahly in the finals of the African Champions League in Cairo on Sunday. Al Ahly are record seven times winners and were named Africa’s club of the century in 2000 by the Confederation of African Football.
Once again, Pirates, or AmaBhaka-Bhaka as they are known among their passionate and energetic followers, will be our nation’s flag bearers at the finals. It has been both an arduous and eventful journey for Pirates. The manner in which they contended with the immense challenges they faced in their glorious march to the final epitomises the South African spirit.
During their journey to last week’s match, they never flinched when the odds were stacked against them. They went to many African sporting strongholds, faced some of Africa’s best and they conquered.
Who can forget the epic battles in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lubumbashi, in Egypt and recently in Tunisia? Win or lose, on Sunday, you’ve already made us a proud, united and excited nation.
As you approach this last and significant hurdle, we hope you draw inspiration from your 1995 success when, against all odds, you defeated Asec Mimosas, in Abidjan, to win the same cup.
Go Mabhakaniya!
