Siya Kolisi applauded for his message to Ramaphosa and Cabinet

South Africans have praised Springboks captain Siya Kolisi for his message to President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Cabinet on diversity.

Ramaphosa welcomed the 2023 Rugby World Cup champions at the Union Buildings in Tshwane, before they embarked on a tour around Gauteng to showcase the Ellis Webb Cup to communities.

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Springboks secured a historic victory in the World Cup final match against New Zealand on Saturday.

In his speech, Kolisi thanked South Africans for rallying behind the team, and his teammates for helping him with his leadership duties as they worked together to achieve their victory.

“On what you said now on the leadership, I must be honest; this whole group is full of leaders, and I only play a small part, and honestly, there’s no way I would have achieved what I achieved without the guys. All these guys have helped me in the leadership part,” said Kolisi.

“On behalf of the team, we just want to say thank you to the Cabinet, Mr President, for your support. We could feel for you to come all the way and see the team and give us your words, it was to special to us in the team.

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“Most importantly the people of South Africa, we as a team, we chose to dedicate this world cup to you because you’re the reason we are where we are today. You don’t give up, your resilient spirit and how hard you work, the things you must go through to be where you are in life , honestly the other countries can’t understand. Your support really kept us going.”

Kolisi on diversity

Kolisi further challenged the president to use diversity as a strength and apply it in his Cabinet.

“We are very diverse, just like you are outside there and we just wanted to show that diversity is out strength in South Africa. I encourage Mr President and the Cabinet, we need to use our diversity a bit more. I think it’s a powerful force that a lot of countries don’t have that we have.

“Coming from different backgrounds and areas, we all see different challenges and we see life differently and the more we share towards SA. We use that when we play rugby, I believe you can use that amongst country itself and obviously with everybody else that you work with in parliament.”

‘Our national heroes’

Addressing South Africans, Ramaphosa hailed the Springboks as the country’s “national heroes” who “lifted the spirits of an entire nation and filled us with pride”.

“You have united the South African people,” said Ramaphosa.

Ramaphosa said the Springboks’ win also highlighted the “power of transformation”.

“When Francois Pienaar and President Nelson Mandela lifted the Webb Ellis Cup at Ellis Park Stadium on the 24th of June 1995 our democracy was just over one year old. South Africa had just been readmitted to world rugby three years earlier. There was only one black player on the team, the legendary Chester Williams,” he said.

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“It was a monumental, historic and deeply symbolic occasion. This win is also monumental. The Springbok’s four championships have all taken place in the years since we became a democracy.

“The Springboks are a potent symbol of just how far we have come as a people. That is why you have been so warmly embraced by South Africans of all races as their own.”

Following the Gauteng tour, the Springboks will on Friday be in Cape Town, where a big crowd is expected at the Grand Parade adjacent to City Hall, where they are expected to appear at 11:30am.