Springbok captain Siya Kolisi has made an emotional appeal to South African men to confront the country’s gender-based violence crisis, declaring that it is time to do more than talk.
Speaking from Australia, where the Springboks are preparing for their Test against the Wallabies next week Sunday, Kolisi called on South Africans to unite against gender-based violence following the latest horrific killings of women around Johannesburg.
Nine women’s bodies have now been discovered across Ekurhuleni in the past two months, with several found in and around Kempton Park.
For Kolisi, the issue is deeply personal. Having grown up in Zwide township in the Eastern Cape, the Springbok captain has spoken previously about witnessing violence against women and has long used his extraordinary public platform to speak out on social issues.
Now, with South Africa once again confronting a wave of horror, the two-time World Cup-winning captain has called particularly on men to accept responsibility.
“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.”
Kolisi also called on other sporting teams and athletes to use their platforms to confront the issue.
“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. But it was his message to South African men that carried the greatest weight.
“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.”
Kolisi urged people with platforms, including podcasters and other influential voices, to move beyond awareness and turn their words into action.
“Let’s do more than just talk. We need action,” he said.
“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, the change also has to begin in the everyday conversations men have with one another.
“This is far beyond headlines. It’s conversations that we have with our mates around us. That’s the most important thing.”
He then made the issue intensely personal, asking how he could explain the failure to act to the women and children closest to him.
“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?” he asked. “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.”
Kolisi admitted that he does not have all the answers — but said he was prepared to use his platform to help those who do.
“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.”
He also appealed directly to South Africa’s leaders to help men confront the problem.
“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.”
The Springbok captain ended with a powerful declaration of intent.
“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.” | IOL Sport