Culture Craze
Siya Kolisi marks six years of the Kolisi Foundation with emotional message
Six years is a long time in South Africa. Long enough to see change. Long enough to realise how much still needs fixing.
This week, Siya Kolisi paused to take stock of both.
Marking the anniversary of the Kolisi Foundation, the Springboks captain shared a message that felt less like a celebration and more like a promise. The kind that carries weight.
“We are still here. We won’t stop,” he said, reflecting on the journey so far. “There is a lot of work to be done.”
A foundation built from lived experience
The Kolisi Foundation was never meant to be a vanity project. From the beginning, it has been rooted in something far more personal.
Kolisi grew up in Zwide, Gqeberha, an area that continues to face deep inequality. That lived reality shaped the foundation’s focus from day one. Instead of spreading itself thin, it zeroed in on a few urgent pillars: education and sport, food security, and gender-based violence.
Those are not abstract issues in South Africa. They are everyday realities.
Over the years, the foundation has worked in under-resourced communities, including Zwide itself, delivering food relief, supporting schools, and creating opportunities for young people to access sport and education. The aim has always been long-term change, not short bursts of charity.
When crisis hit, the work scaled up
If there was any moment that tested the foundation’s purpose, it came during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As households across the country faced rising food insecurity, the organisation expanded its reach. Emergency relief became a lifeline for many families, particularly in communities already living on the edge.
That period also shifted public perception. For many South Africans, the foundation stopped being just another celebrity-backed initiative and became something tangible, something visible on the ground.
Tackling tough conversations
One of the more difficult areas the foundation has stepped into is gender-based violence. In a country where the issue remains widespread, its work has included awareness campaigns, partnerships with shelters, and support initiatives for survivors.
It is not easy work. It rarely makes headlines in the same way as sport. But it is necessary.
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Behind the scenes, a bigger team effort
Kolisi used the milestone to acknowledge the people often overlooked. The staff, the board, and the implementing partners working in communities every day.
That quiet recognition matters. Foundations like this do not run on name recognition alone. They run on people doing consistent, often unseen work.
A new chapter after change
This anniversary also arrives during a period of transition.
In 2025, Rachel Kolisi stepped down as CEO following her divorce from Kolisi. She had been a central figure in building the foundation’s identity and operations since its early days.
Her departure marked a shift, both structurally and emotionally, even though it was handled privately. For many who followed the foundation’s journey, it signalled the start of a new chapter.
KOLISI ARRIVES IN VHEMBE |
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi has arrived at the Matsila Royal House where he will be embarking on a house to house program of food delivery. Kolisi will deliver 500 food parcels to at least 10 villages alongside Radzambo Foundation.#LimSportsZone pic.twitter.com/4tzqlC5Pk0
— Lim Sports Zone (@LimSportsZone) April 27, 2020
Why this milestone feels different
Anniversaries often come with polished highlights. This one feels a bit more grounded.
Maybe it is the honesty in Kolisi’s message. Or the acknowledgement that six years is just the beginning, not the end goal.
On social media, the response has been steady rather than explosive. Messages of support, gratitude, and respect. Less hype, more recognition of sustained impact.
And perhaps that is the point.
In a country where challenges often feel overwhelming, consistency counts. Showing up counts. Staying committed when the spotlight moves on counts even more.
For the Kolisi Foundation, six years in, the message is simple. The work continues.
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Source: IOL
Featured Image: Good Things Guy
