The unifying force of pride that the fourth-time world champions have evolved into is a vindication of Nelson Mandela's vision. But today's leaders, like President Cyril Ramaphosa, have nothing to give to the Springboks. They can only bask in the glory of the team's performance, writes Mpumelelo Mkhabela.
It's hard to imagine what would have happened had President Nelson Mandela not embraced the Springboks and placed them at the centre of his nation-building efforts in 1995.