South Africa's Women's AFCON team, Banyana Banyana, came home to a big celebration., the first continental title after five final defeats.
"You deserve equal pay for equal work that you do," President Cyril Ramaphosa told the players, urging the country's ministers of finance and sports to up the bonus.
"Our hearts are filled with pride. They are bursting at the seams with a great deal of joy," Ramaphosa said during a reception at the government's Union Buildings in the capital.
"We need to give added remuneration to these young women who have made our country so proud. But having done so, we must then make sure that we eliminate the whole process of unequal pay out of our system."
Ramaphosa said the country should outlaw pay discrimination and embark on a programme to bridge the gender pay gap.
"You deserve the best. Welcome home, champions of Africa. You are the Golden Girls of our country. You are the queens of Africa," he said.
"Whether they like it or they don't like it, you are the queens."