Johannesburg - Sport and Recreation Minister Fikile Mbalula says he is hoping for more medals from the South Africans currently competing at the London 2012 Olympics.
"Our team is still in London and while others may fall and learn from their experience, others will stand tall like Cameron van der Burgh and Chad le Clos and the rowing team did. We hope for more medals and we wish for more," he said.
Mbalula, who arrived back from London on Thursday, addressed reporters on Team SA's achievements at the Olympic Games and the support given to them by government on Friday.
South Africa's men's lightweight rowing team clinched a gold yesterday, while van der Burgh set a new world record in the 100m breaststroke on Sunday night and le Clos beat the "Most Decorated Olympian of All Time" Michael Phelps in the 200m butterfly swimming event on Tuesday.
The minister said the athletes were showing their patriotism to their country, while the nation was now witnessing the "fruits of their toil".
He added that as a country, "we can proudly declare that the team announced by Sascoc is doing us proud in London".
Mbalula said when van der Burgh and le Clos both won medals he knew that Sascoc President Gideon Sam's commitment to achieving 12 medals in London was on track.
"If Chad le Clos' win did not make us believe, then the gold won by the rowing team must have done the trick. We acknowledge that it is still early to celebrate, but when you have been starved of success for so long, you cannot help it but celebrate every little achievement made.
"When you win this big, you can't remain quite, so we wish to urge all South Africans to still wear their sport t-shirts every Friday in support of our team in London," he said.
In 1996 and 2000, Team SA brought home five medals from Atlanta and Sydney respectively and in 2004 in Athens, they manage to win six medals and the honeymoon ended with one medal in 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Mbalula described the Olympic Games as a major sporting event that offered a country such as South Africa not only an opportunity for its athletes to showcase their skills, but also invite the world to partner the country in speeding socio-economic growth and development for the people.
