Johannesburg - Hundreds of South Africans gathered at the OR Tambo International Airport on Monday morning to welcome Saray Khumalo back from Nepal after becoming the first black woman to conquer Mount Everest.
Everest is one of the most dangerous mountains in the world and a few deaths have been reported since Khumalo summitted it.
A marching band, welcome balloons and her son Azinkosi eagerly waited to welcome Khumalo home. Her 16-year old son Ocacile wasn’t able to greet his mother at the airport as he is writing exams.
As Khumalo walked into the international arrivals terminal, she was welcomed by the singing of the national anthem.
Seeing Azinkosi, she screamed hugging and twirling him around.
A tired looking Khumalo walked through the airport in a police guard of honour.
Born in Zambia, with a Rwandan bloodline and now a South African, Khumalo first tried to summit Everest in 2014 but could not make it to the top as an avalanche hit the mountain.
She tried again the following year but an earthquake that hit Nepal dashed her dream of getting to the top.
In 2017, she tried again and was just about a 100 meters from the top when she suffered health problems due to exposure. She had to be airlifted to the hospital for treatment.
Khumalo tried again in 2019 and was successful and made history by being the first black African woman to do so.