Springbok Captain Siya Kolisi Shares His Retirement Plans
Siya Kolisi, the skipper of the Springboks, has outlined his post-rugby plans, and they may come as a surprise to many.
Siya Kolisi has shed light on his aspirations once he decides to hang up his rugby boots.
Kolisi expressed his desire to continue the philanthropic work that he and his wife, Rachel, have initiated through their foundation.
Despite being one of South Africa’s most beloved leaders, Siya Kolisi has confirmed that a career in politics is not on his agenda.
Instead, Kolisi is determined to make a positive impact through his charitable foundation.
NO Political Aspirations for Siya Kolisi, Only a Commitment to Charity
Kolisi told the Daily Mail that he has no intentions of pursuing a political career but is dedicated to addressing gender-based violence in South Africa.
“Politics? Nah. You don’t want to see me there. I’m going to dedicate myself to my foundation. I went to New York last week and did some fundraising for it,” he said.
“South Africa is number one in the world in gender-based violence. My aunt and my mum were the first people I knew that were being abused.
“In my community, you see it so many times that it becomes normal. That’s not good, being immune to things like that. If a man and a woman argued, then it would end up in a fight because men don’t really speak.
“I learned to speak by going through therapy. I had to go to marriage counseling because I couldn’t give everything to my wife, because my heart was so hard and I didn’t know how to speak.
“In my late 20s, I started talking to someone, and the first time I went, she said, ‘You are damaged in every level. The stuff that you saw is not normal.’
“It’s extreme; it’s bad. You have to speak about it, get through it. That’s why you grow up, and your heart is so hard. Something happens in the community; you fight with someone, forgive them, and you move on. That’s normal in my neighborhood.”
Humbled and Touched
Kolisi expressed deep emotions regarding the response to the 2023 Rugby World Cup victory.
He remarked, “A lot of people have been in a dark place, but you could see their joy when we traveled around South Africa. It’s like they had been waiting for something to lift them.
“Some people couldn’t afford to watch us at home during the World Cup because you have to pay for the TV. People started opening up malls at 10 pm to watch us play. Different backgrounds, different races, all sitting together.
“When we went home, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. In Cape Town, the bus couldn’t move. You’d look up, and you couldn’t see land; you just see people. Then you turn a corner, and there are even more people. It was special.”
