WP rugby players caused some chaos during their victory parade when they threw money at the crowd in Khayelitsha.
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Western Province rugby players caused some chaos during their Currie Cup victory parade on Tuesday when they threw money at the crowds lining the road in Khayelitsha to see their local heroes.
The team paraded their new silverware throughout the city on Tuesday.
When the procession reached Khayelitsha, the team found their route lined by thousands of fans.
Players, including star winger Bryan Habana, nearly caused a stampede when they threw paper money, including R50 notes, at the crowd.
As the money was thrown from the bus, people jostled each other to get their hands on the cash. There were no reported injuries.
After an 11-year drought, the team brought the Currie Cup back to Cape Town. They beat the Sharks by seven points in a thrilling Durban final on Saturday. Juan de Jongh’s 33rd minute try was the moment that separated the two teams.
On Tuesday, it was De Jongh, who was first to break away from his team-mates as they arrived at City Hall – his was the name that fans were chanting. He walked over to the cheering crowd and immersed himself in hugs and kisses, before walking the length of the low fence shaking hands and taking pictures.
The last of the pictures was taken with Sally Jacobs, a Mitchells Plain mother who snuck out of her office in Buitenkant Street to come for a glimpse of her hero.
“Oh my! I’m not even going to be able to sleep tonight. This will have to be framed, and sit along with the family photos. I came here just for him, and look at this,” she said, turning her BlackBerry around to show off to the other fans surrounding her.
De Jongh said: “Its an unbelievable feeling, to bring the cup back after 11 years. This is for all our supporters, especially those who came out week after week to cheer for us at Newlands. I want them to know how much that support has meant to me personally, and to the rest of the team.”
Fans who came to see De Jongh’s famous Gangnam Style dance, a celebration which has reached cult status in this year’s tournament, weren’t left disappointed. His best performance of the move definitely came as he stood on the hand railings of City Hall’s lower balcony.
It was from here that Western Cape Premier Helen Zille and Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille added their voices to the congratulations.
“Even though it was they who played on Saturday, I’m sure that the team will agree that the cup belongs to the entire Western Cape and to the people of Cape Town. It’s been away for 11 years, I hope that it stays here now for just as long,” said De Lille.
Zille opted to forego a speech, saying that “to sing is much better than to speak”.
She lead the crowd in a chant of “WP you lekker ding” using the microphone/speaker system as an impromptu drum to sustain the beat.
The team moved through the streets of the CBD, greeting fans from an open air double decker bus.
They moved on to Elsies River and later to Khayelitsha where massive crowds surrounded the bus cheering their heroes on. Autographs aplenty were signed on school shirts, and clothing of all sorts, which rained on to the bus’ upper deck.
daneel.knoetze@inl.co.za
Cape Argus