Rachel Kolisi Opens Up About Reinvention After Separation From Siya Kolisi

• Rachel Kolisi spoke candidly about rediscovering herself after her high-profile split from Springbok captain Siya Kolisi in October 2024
• She stepped down as CEO of the Kolisi Foundation and launched a new project, Falling Forward, centred on resilience and healing
• Her message that identity is not defined by circumstances has resonated with women navigating major life changes

Rachel Kolisi is speaking out about the process of rebuilding yourself when life changes in ways you did not plan for. The South African philanthropist and public figure shared her thoughts on reinvention on 8 August 2026, drawing from the deeply personal upheaval she has faced over the past two years.

Her journey became public when she and Springbok captain Siya Kolisi announced their separation in October 2024 after eight years of marriage. The two agreed to part amicably, with co-parenting their children remaining a shared priority.

Rachel steps away from the Kolisi Foundation

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The split prompted further change. Rachel stepped down from her position as CEO of the Kolisi Foundation, an organisation she co-founded in 2019. Losing that role meant separating herself from a public identity she had built alongside her marriage, a shift she has since described as one of the most challenging and clarifying experiences of her life.

Rather than retreating from public life, she leaned into the discomfort. Her core message is that external events, whether a divorce, a job loss, or a change in public standing, do not have the final say over who a person becomes. She encourages looking inward to build a sense of self that feels genuine rather than one shaped by pressure or expectation.

Falling Forward project and new direction

Out of that period came her multimedia project and memoir, Falling Forward, a national roadshow, book and documentary that explores motherhood, mental health and healing after life is turned upside down.

Alongside the project, Rachel introduced a new philanthropic direction focused on amplifying smaller, grassroots South African charities that often struggle to access funding and public attention. Rather than building new programmes, her aim is to shine a light on the work already being done by those on the ground.

She continues to headline women's empowerment events and speak openly about boundaries and personal stability, themes that run throughout her recent work and public reflections.

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As seen in a recent Instagram post, her journey, for many women in South Africa navigating separation, identity shifts or personal setbacks, her willingness to speak plainly about the harder parts of reinvention has made her story one worth following.

More on Rachel Kolisi

• Briefly News recently reported on Rachel Kolisi's pre-stage wardrobe malfunction, which she laughed off gracefully just before walking on stage.
• In another story, Rachel Kolisi reposted a video of a former rugby player speaking candidly about infidelity, shortly after Siya Kolisi's own admissions in his autobiography.
• Meanwhile, Rachel Kolisi shared a glimpse into her personal life with a July photo dump featuring her children and quiet moments of peace.

Source: Briefly News