South Africa shocked by Siya Kolisi’s divorce

The divorce of Siya Kolisi, the Springboks’ two-time World Cup champion, and his wife Rachel Smith has made headlines in South African newspapers, with reports highlighting them as a « symbol » of the rainbow nation, according to AFP.

“After long reflection and open conversations, we have mutually decided to end our marriage,” explained Siya Kolisi, former player of Racing 92, and his wife Rachel Smith on social media, stating that it was the best path forward for “them.”

In the wake of a country “in shock,” as described by the Times, the news of the divorce involving the first Black captain of South Africa’s national rugby team and Rachel Smith, who is white, has dominated the front pages of most local newspapers, such as the Star and the Citizen.

“They seem to embody the aspirations of the nation,” notes News24, describing their relationship as a “fairy tale” and a couple that “embraced each other’s culture” in the spirit of the rainbow nation.

“Their marriage had become a symbol of love, diversity, and overcoming barriers,” the media outlet continues, in a country where mixed unions remain rare, thirty years after the first democratic elections and the end of apartheid, the regime of the white minority.

The two-time world champion (2019 and 2023), who grew up in a township near Port Elizabeth, detailed the tumultuous beginnings of his relationship with Rachel Smith in his autobiography “Rise,” which was adapted into a documentary last year.

The couple has four children, including a half-brother and half-sister of Siya Kolisi whom they adopted.