Springbok captain Siya Kolisi will now follow in the footsteps of his Bok mentor Rassie Erasmus by becoming the second member of the double World Cup-winning team to be honoured by the North West University.
This week, the university which was home to Springboks, Lood de Jager, and former Bok captain Adriaan Strauss announced that they will be renaming their Dennedorp residence, which houses a large contingent of rugby players after the two-time world cup winning captain, Siya Kolisi.
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In a statement, Bert Sorgdrager, NWU Council chairperson, said, “In an era where universities strive to create inclusive and inspiring environments, naming Dennedorp residence after Siya Kolisi would not only honour his remarkable achievements but also embody the core values of resilience and community engagement that he represents.”
He added that Siya’s journey from the township of Zwide to captaining the South African national rugby team exemplifies the aspirations of many students who face challenges yet strive for excellence.
The university believes that the name Siya Kolisi reinforces the values of perseverance, leadership, and sportsmanship.
By renaming the residence after the most successful captain in Springbok history, they highlighted that they do not only want to honour him for his leadership and achievements but hope that their students will follow in his example and become good role models by making a positive impact in this world.
The honour will see Siya Kolisi follow in the footsteps of his coach Rassie Erasmus, who in 2024 received an Honourary Doctorate Degree for embodying the true spirit of nation-building.
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This year Rassie and Siya will both return to the University campus where Rassie has been selected to unveil the multi-sport residence, which will be named Invictus Residence.
The official unveiling is scheduled to take place on Monday.
Also see: Springboks’ coach Rassie Erasmus to be addressed as Dr. after graduating with doctorate
