South Africa: ‘We Need to See Our Siya’ is the cry heard when Kolisi’s hometown of Gqeberha is skipped by the Bok Trophy Tour.
In rugby-crazed Nelson Mandela Bay, anger has erupted over the metro’s exclusion from the Springboks’ World Cup Tour. Reminding SA Rugby that captain Siya Kolisi and the other players from the winning team reside in the metro area was the subject of numerous and swiftly sent letters on Monday.
On Monday, there was outrage over SA Rugby’s (Saru) decision to skip rugby-lover Nelson Mandela Bay during the Springboks’ World Cup Trophy Tour this week. Saru has been urged to reconsider its decision by the Nelson Mandela Bay metro and the Eastern Province Rugby Union.
The excitement surrounding South Africa’s World Cup victory subsided as disagreements erupted regarding the choice to move the tour to East London rather than Nelson Mandela Bay.
April Fools laughed off promises that the Springboks would return in March.
The city’s heart cries out for “our Siya,” according to Mike Pantsi, chair of Nelson Mandela Bay’s traditional leaders.
“We offered up prayers for them each day. We’re eager to see our Siya,” he uttered.
“We must see Siya. We must constantly remind our kids that they are capable of doing this. His actions speak for our marginalized communities loudly. He must come show us the trophy. He serves as a reminder to us that we are all capable of doing something.
“He is the hope of our townships. He is the light of our world,” Pantsi said.
Kolisi is from Zwide in Nelson Mandela Bay.
Springboks’ record fourth Rugby World Cup to be celebrated with public holiday
President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa celebrates with the Springboks.
December 15 will be observed as a public holiday in South Africa in honor of the Springboks’ historic fourth Rugby World Cup victory, as announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday.
The Springboks made history when they won the World Cup twice in a row. They were the first team to win the coveted competition four times, but only the second team to accomplish so.
The team led by Siya Kolisi upset the odds by winning three games on a single point during the knockout stages and winning the Webb Ellis Cup. The players showed incredible tenacity and dedication in that performance.
Working together
The team, in the President’s opinion, has demonstrated to the South African people the power of unity.
“Friday, December 15, 2023, is going to be observed as a public holiday in honor of the incredible accomplishments of the Springboks and all of our other athletes, as well as a testament to the tenacity of our strong national union.
This day of celebration, unity, and hope is declared. What is achievable has been demonstrated to us by our athletes. President Ramaphosa declared, “We’ll succeed and make sure that nobody is left behind.”
The President mentioned that the Springboks have been promoting their “Stronger Together” campaign for a number of years. The late, great Nelson Mandela’s quotes were also honored by Ramaphosa.
“Our teams’ tenacity and resiliency have validated Madiba’s (Mandela) assertion that sports bring people together across the country. Their accomplishments have disclosed a great deal about the solidarity of the citizens of the nation they represent.
As a people, we have demonstrated in the past what is achievable when we work together, remain steadfast, put in a lot of effort, and never give up. Together, we defeated apartheid, put an end to centuries of strife, and established a vibrant democracy. We faced and defeated the deadliest global pandemic in more than a century as a team. Together, we really are stronger,” he remarked.
Professional tenacity
Ultimately, the President expressed his admiration for the team’s combat toughness as they overcame several challenging positions during their successful campaign.
“As we all watched their progress towards the championship, we marvelled at their resilience and determination to overcome some of the best teams in the rugby world. At moments when their cause seemed lost, they fought back and they emerged victorious,” he said.
