Images of Springbok captain Siya Kolisi mingling with his white peers and fans have been featured on two billboards erected by the Afrikaner civic group Betereinders.
This follows the controversial removal of Solidarity’s banner calling out South Africa for being the “most race-regulated country in the world”
The messages come just days before the G20 Summit kicks off in Johannesburg.
SIYA KOLISI, SPRINGBOKS PICS MAKE BANNER
On their Facebook account, Betereinders posted images of two of their latest billboards they had commissioned.
The installations featured two images of Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, who celebrated his 100th test cap last weekend.
In the first, Siya is carried on the shoulders of his pals Eben Etzebeth and RG Snyman, two white Afrikaner males. In the second, Siya snaps selfies with a group of white rugby fans.
“Terrible things are happening in South Africa”, the message across the billboard reads.
The quote stems from comments made by US President Donald Trump about South Africa, which he claims is “persecuting white people”.
The president – who has declined to attend the G20 Summit – also accused the government of promoting a “white genocide”, a claim that has been debunked.
‘THERE IS SO MUCH DIVISION IN THE COUNTRY’
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi is known for his public advocacy for gender equality, racial equality, and using sport to bring unity to South Africans.
In his speech after the team won the 2023 Rugby World Cup, the Zwide-born player passionately said: “There’s so much going wrong in our country, we are the last line of defence. There’s so much division in the country. It is possible to work together as South Africans, not just on the rugby field, but in life in general.”.
The Sringbok hero continued: “We can’t go away from that, 1995, without that I wouldn’t be here. For people who look like me. I’ve got a job to give whatever I can to the jersey, to show they can get opportunities like this.
“People who are not from South Africa don’t understand what this means for our country,” Kolisi said. “This is not just about the game; our country goes through such a lot. We are the very hope that they have.”
