Tatjana battles tears as Gayton lavishes her as one of the ‘greatest heroes’

By the time sport minister Gayton McKenzie was finished lavishing her with praise, Tatjana Smith’s makeup was a complete mess. 

McKenzie took about five minutes delivering the message of congratulations from President Cyril Ramaphosa to Smith, leaving her overcome with emotions and battling to contain tears. 

Smith, who claimed 100m breaststroke gold and 200m breaststroke silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics that concluded this weekend, and teenage sprinters Bradley Nkoana and Bayanda Walaza landed at OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg on Tuesday morning to be greeted by a sizeable and noisy crowd.

Nkoana and Walaza were part of the 4x100m team that included experienced Akani Simbine and Shaun Maswanganyi that rose to the occasion to claim silver behind Canada and ahead of Great Britain. 

McKenzie, who has divided opinions since he became sport minister as part of the Government of National Unity, acknowledged Smith as the most decorated Olympian the country has produced. 

Retired Smith, who has made herself available to help Swimming South Africa in a coaching or mentoring capacity in the future, needed the assistance of Twinsaver tissues to wipe her face as tears were shed in front of a packed media room. 

“I want to put it into context that Tatjana is the most decorated Olympian that we have ever produced as a country,” McKenzie said in his characteristic boisterous manner. 

“We have never produced an Olympian who has achieved what you have achieved. You have not only achieved on the field but also off it, and when you were swimming in France there was not a house in South Africa that watched your races sitting down. 

“We were on our feet and for that I came to say thank you and the president of the country said I must tell you that he was jumping up and down as well while you were swimming. 

“He wants you to know we are proud of you as a country, you showed us what’s possible. We must also say what makes your achievement brilliant and what makes our athletes remarkable is that other nations have everything. Our athletes had the flag and officials who motivated them.” 

Not one to shy away from making bold promises, McKenzie declared South Africa will send over 300 athletes to the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028. 

“As South Africans we have a big responsibility to make sure we take no less than 300 Olympians to the next Olympic Games in 2028 in the US. It’s a promise I am making and it means we must go and find Tatjanas in the rural areas. 

“She might have retired from professional swimming, but she is not retiring from helping us to look for other Tatjanas in Gugulethu, Soweto, Eldorado Park and Matatiele.” 

McKenzie said Smith’s accolades helped unite the country. 

“We can’t describe what we owe you, your husband and family because you have brought this country together. As politicians, we need to understand that we must do our part. 

Your mom is watching from heaven, she is smiling and dancing because you have made her proud. She is even boring people there telling them he is my son and you must be proud.

—  Gayton McKenzie

“You will see in 2028, and I must say sport in this country changes today because we have examples. From the depths of my heart, you are one of the greatest heroes this country has ever had.” 

McKenzie also reduced Nkoana to tears as he told him that he has made his late mother proud. 

“Your mom is watching from heaven, she is smiling and dancing because you have made her proud. She is even boring people there telling them he is my son and you must be proud. 

“You have turned the best way your mother would have wanted. The two of you [Nkoana and Walaza] are testament and you are a barometer for us. It will be our fault if you are not getting gold at the next Olympics in LA. 

“I want you to be focused and we will do our part to support our Olympians. These are not just promises, we are starting today to unearth talent. We can’t have 134 people going to the Olympics, we are a great nation of more than 60-million people. 

“Our athletes shouldn’t worry about money, they go to work in the morning and we want them to compete against the best in the world.”