This archive report was first published on 3 November 2019.
On a historic night in Japan, the South African Springboks secured a 32-12 victory over England in the Rugby World Cup Final, a triumph that echoed the nation's aspirations for a harmonious multiracial society.
As the final whistle blew, fans at Sakhumzi bar in Johannesburg's Soweto township erupted into cheers and singing, reflecting the country's progress towards unity.
The bar on Vilakazi Street, famous for being the home of Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, was a melting pot of black, white, and mixed-race fans, all donning springbok shirts and sharing drinks as their team dominated the game.
For many, this was South Africa's most unifying game of rugby since the 1995 final win against the All Blacks of New Zealand, when Mandela donned a springbok jersey to unite a nation trying to heal the scars left by racist white minority rule.
"I'm so proud. It's our first win with a black captain," said Sibusiso Radebe, 37, an insurance underwriter, referring to captain Siya Kolisi.
"In '95 the game was still dominated by whites but that has really changed," he added, as fans chanted "Siya" behind him.
