South African rugby icon Siya Kolisi and his wife Rachel have announced their separation after more than a decade together, sparking an outpouring of public reaction across the nation.
The two-time Rugby World Cup-winning Springboks captain and his media personality wife shared the news in a joint statement on social media on Tuesday.
“After much reflection and open conversations, we have mutually decided to end our marriage,” the statement read. “This decision comes from a place of love, respect and understanding that this is the best path forward for both of us.”
The couple emphasized they would remain “great friends and committed partners” in raising their four children – Nicholas Siyamthanda, Keziah, and Siya’s siblings Liyema and Liphelo, whom they adopted after their mother’s death in 2009.
The announcement has prompted an unprecedented response on social media, with many South Africans calling for national intervention to save the marriage.
“President Ramaphosa better call a family meeting to mediate between Siya & Rachel Kolisi. This is a national crisis,” wrote one user on X (formerly Twitter).
Their romance began at a dinner party in Stellenbosch in 2012. The couple married in 2016 after Siya proposed during a helicopter ride over Cape Town. They went on to establish themselves as one of South Africa’s most prominent power couples.
The relationship has weathered significant moments in South African sporting history, with Rachel supporting Siya as he led the Springboks to Rugby World Cup victories in both 2019 and 2023.
The couple founded The Kolisi Foundation in 2020, focusing on gender-based violence, education, sport, and food security initiatives. They recently returned to South Africa after a period in Paris, where Siya plays for Racing92.
In their statement, they confirmed they would continue their philanthropic work together: “We will also continue working together on the foundation that means so much to us.”
The couple has requested privacy as they navigate this transition, while maintaining their commitment to their family and charitable endeavours.
