Proteas Legend Rassie Van Der Dussen: ‘My Father Was a Member of the ANC’ Opens Up on Upbringing
- Proteas stalwart Rassie van der Dussen bowed out of international cricket after a seven-year career at the top level
- Former top-order batter reflected on formative influences, revealing how his family background shaped his perspective on key social issues
- The 37-year-old revisited his decision to publicly support the Black Lives Matter movement during the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup, a moment that drew widespread attention
South African cricket legend Rassie van der Dussen has announced his retirement from international cricket after seven years at the highest level.
Source: Getty Images
The 37-year-old former Proteas batsman opened up about his upbringing during an interview on SABC Radio, where he spoke candidly about his childhood and family influences.
He revealed that his father was a member of the African National Congress (ANC), which played a significant role in shaping his worldview.
“I’ve never changed as a person. I was lucky to be brought up in a liberal household. My dad was a member of the ANC. We were raised with an objective view of the world,” Rassie said.
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Rassie speaks on Black Lives Matter movement
Reflecting on the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup, he referred to the moment he took a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
“It is heartwarming to still see the impact it made on people and that they still speak about it. As an Afrikaner white man, to receive feedback like that is very special for me.”
As seen in the post below on X:
In April 2025, Rassie posted a compliment on X (formerly Twitter) about President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cricket-themed ANC jersey, which the President wore during a campaign event in Soweto.
Source: Getty Images
Proteas cricket career and achievements
Van der Dussen made his international debut for South Africa in 2018 against Zimbabwe on 9 October 2018. He went on to establish himself as a dependable top-order batter across formats, particularly in One Day Internationals and T20 Internationals. He was frequently used at No. 3 or No. 4, where his role was to anchor innings, stabilise the batting line-up, and rotate the strike under pressure.
He also captained South Africa in a T20I series against the West Indies in 2024, adding leadership experience to his profile. Over the course of his career, he became known for his consistency, composure, and ability to perform in challenging situations.
Van der Dussen was widely regarded as one of the Proteas’ most reliable batters in limited-overs cricket, contributing significantly in ICC tournaments and bilateral series. He earned the nickname “MaThousands” among fans, reflecting his ability to accumulate runs steadily and deliver crucial innings for the national side.
SA golfer on supporting Bafana Bafana
Briefly News also reported that South African golf star Dean Burmester shared the reason behind his decision to show support for Bafana Bafana during the LIV Golf tournament.
On day two of the four-day competition, Burmester stepped out in the newly released Adidas away kit for both Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana.
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Source: Briefly News
