Kolisi’s heartbreaking divorce after a decade together leaves fans calling for an national intervention
Last week, Siya and Rachel Kolisi announced their divorce, leaving fans devastated and many calling for a national intervention. The two-time Rugby World Cup-winning captain of the Springboks and the media personality shared over a decade of life together, and their split has sent shockwaves through South Africa.
Siya and Rachel met at a dinner party in Stellenbosch in 2012, and they tied the knot in 2016. The couple has two children, Nicholas Siyamthanda and Keziah, and they adopted Siya’s younger siblings, Liyema and Liphelo, after their mother’s passing in 2009.
On October 22, they released a joint statement on social media announcing their separation, emphasising that their decision stemmed from “much reflection and open conversations” and was made “from a place of love, respect, and understanding that this is the best path forward for both of us.”
“While our relationship as a couple is changing, we remain great friends and committed partners in raising our children with the same love and care they’ve always known,” the statement expressed, as quoted by IOL.
Siya’s social media silence
In the wake of the news, Siya posted a photo of himself and Springboks teammate Eben Etzebeth travelling to the UK, turning off comments on the post. He captioned it simply: “🇿🇦 ✈️ –> 🇬🇧.” He also wished Cheslin Kolbe a happy birthday on social media, again with comments disabled.
Rachel’s podcast revelations resurface
As discussions around their divorce continue to trend on social media, Rachel’s comments from last month’s “The African CEO” podcast have resurfaced. In the episode titled “Rachel Kolisi: How To Lead Your Own Life,” she touched on her relationship challenges, her role as co-founder of The Kolisi Foundation, and her advocacy for women’s empowerment.
Rachel spoke candidly about the struggles of managing family life while Siya pursued his rugby career. After moving to Paris for Siya’s stint with Racing92, she found herself handling most of the childcare and household responsibilities. They recently returned to South Africa.
Rachel reflected, “From the beginning, you know, we have always had situations of him being away for one, two, three, four months at a time, and you learn to kind of live with that.” She added, “I have friends whose husband will travel for three days and then (they say to me) I don’t know how the heck you do this, this is insane.”
Kolisi: Challenge of connection
Rachel also expressed frustration about Siya’s attention often being elsewhere when they spent time together. “It’s like a pet peeve for me,” she said. “When people are with one another like at a dinner or something and someone’s on their phone, like it’s just an absolute no-no for me.”
She emphasised the importance of being present, stating, “I just think the time that you do make for people, make sure that you’re fully present because that goes a long way with people.”
The Kolisi family’s announcement serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities that come with fame, family, and personal sacrifices. As fans reflect on their journey, the conversation continues around the challenges of maintaining relationships in the public eye.
As Siya and Rachel move forward on separate paths, their commitment to co-parenting remains a central focus, and fans will watch closely as they navigate this new chapter in their lives
Stay tuned with The South African as we give you the latest on the Kolisi’s heartbreaking divorce.
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