Springbok captain Siya Kolisi has made an emotional appeal to South African men to take responsibility and act against gender-based violence, saying men need to acknowledge that “we are the problem here”.
Speaking in a video posted on social media from Australia, where the Springboks are preparing to face the Wallabies, Kolisi turned the message of unity usually associated with the national rugby team towards a far more serious issue at home.
“I’m always the one coming to ask South Africans to unite behind us when we play, and now I’m asking again for all South Africans to unite against gender-based violence in our country,” said Kolisi in a video posted on social media.
“It’s been going on for far too long. It’s been going on for so many years and it’s an everyday thing.
“It’s not just because it’s headlines right now. This happens each and every single day in our country.”
His message comes amid growing concern over the deaths of women in Ekurhuleni. Nine women’s bodies have been recovered across the metro since July. Police have deployed a multidisciplinary team and are investigating the circumstances of the deaths and whether there are links between the cases.
‘We need help urgently’
Kolisi directed some of his strongest words towards South African men.
“To the men of our country, we need to acknowledge and accept that we are the problem here and we need help — and we need help urgently,” said Kolisi.
“Without us getting help, this is going to keep on continuing.”
He urged men to move beyond expressions of outrage and awareness towards meaningful action.
“Let’s do more than just talk. We need action,”
“Bringing awareness is not the only thing that we can do. How can we bring other people into the space that can help us?”
For Kolisi, those conversations need to extend into men’s everyday lives and relationships.
“This is far beyond headlines. It’s conversations that we have with our mates around us. That’s the most important thing.”
Kolisi calls on sporting teams to speak up
The Springbok captain also appealed to other male sports teams to use their public platforms to address what is happening.
“I want to encourage all the other male sporting teams in our country to also speak up about what’s happening in our country,” he said.
“We ask the people to get behind us and they do. It’s time for us to also use our platform to make sure that we’re better.”
His appeal extended beyond sport, with Kolisi calling for people with public platforms to help bring those with knowledge and solutions into the conversation.
‘How am I going to answer to my daughter?’
Kolisi also reflected on his responsibilities as a father, brother and man.
“If this is not hurting you as a human being, what’s happening in our country, if we don’t do anything about it as men, how am I going to answer to my daughter, to my sister?”
“And I’m also failing my son by not educating myself and making sure that I’m better, that he’s not also going through the same problems I’m going through.”
“We just have to do better as men,” he said. “We can’t just sit back and act like nothing is happening.
“This should be the most important thing that’s most spoken about in our country right now.”
‘Help us be better men’
Kolisi also addressed the country’s leaders, calling for spaces where men are able to learn and change.
“To the leaders, help us. Help us be better men and let’s create spaces for us to be better and to learn and be educated.”
Rather than claiming to have the solution himself, Kolisi said he wanted to make his platform available to people who have the knowledge to help.
“I honestly don’t have answers, but I’m willing to use my platform for people who do have answers to help us as men going forward,” he said.
“So please, South Africans, especially men, let’s speak more, let’s do more than just speaking. We need action in this time.
“I really want to be part of the solution. I don’t have the answers, but I definitely want to be part of the solution, not the problem.”
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