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Cape Town - Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba says that it is "high time" that South African clubs take CAF competitions seriously after Mamelodi Sundowns were crowned African champions.
READ: As it happened: Zamalek 1-3 Sundowns
On Sunday, Sundowns held onto a healthy first-leg lead against Zamalek to ensure they return to South Africa with their first official African star.
The Brazilians frustrated the Egyptian giants throughout the 90 minutes despite Stanley Ohawuchi offering the 60 000 crowd some hope with a goal in the 65th minute.
However, it was not to be as Pitso Mosimane become the first South African coach to lift the CAF Champions League.
"This is good for Africa, not only for South Africa," Mashaba said as quoted by KickOff.
"The last [South African] team to win this was Orlando Pirates in 1995. We now need to keep consistency [in winning].
"It’s high time that our clubs at home take this tournament very seriously. You will remember when Pirates won the star in 1995, in 1996 we went on to win the African Nations Cup.
"If you look at the number of Pirates players in the national team then, it rubbed off and it went well.
"But I would like to say to Mamelodi Sundowns players, they did well and showed character. They might have lost, but it is a job well done. To Pitso Mosimane and his technical team, they did very well.
"The president of the team too [Patrice Motsepe], the support that he gives them... what he is doing, will never go unnoticed. You can see now that supporting this team, it’s worth it."
Mashaba traveled to Egypt to support the Pretoria side on their quest to become the first South African side in 20 years to claim glory in a CAF competition.
Sundowns will now participate in the FIFA World Club Cup in December and could face the likes of Spanish giants, Real Madrid.
The Brazilians will return to South Africa on Wednesday, October 26.
