Meet the family of six

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Springboks captain Siya Kolisi and his wife Rachel announced their divorce in a joint statement on Instagram on Tuesday 22 October, sending shock waves across South Africa.

SIYA AND RACHEL KOLISI TIED THE KNOT IN 2016

Rachel met Siya at a dinner party in Stellenbosch, Western Cape back in 2012. The pair then became friends and later started dating. Siya and Rachel tied the knot at MolenVliet Wine estate, near Stellenbosch in 2016.

However, the pair released a joint statement on Tuesday 22 October announcing that they are ending their marriage.

“We wanted to share some important news with you. After much reflection and open conversations, we have mutually decided to end our marriage,” read the joint statement.

“This decision comes from a place of love, respect and understanding that this is the best path forward for both of us. While our relationship as a couple is changing, we remain great friends and committed partners in raising our children with the same love and care they’ve always known,” read the joint statement.

Take a look at a timeline of the pair’s romance here.

NICHOLAS KOLISI

In 2015, the pair welcomed their first child Nicholas Siyamthanda.

KEZIAH KOLISI

Two years later, Rachel and Siya welcomed their second child, a baby girl named Keziah.

LIYEMA AND LIPHELO

While Rachel and Siya only have two kids together, they also adopted Siya’s two half siblings Liyema and Liphelo. The siblings share a mother with Siya, who unfortunately passed away. Their father is also known to have passed away, leaving them in foster homes and orphanges.

In August, Rachel revealed that it had been 10 years since she and Siya brought his siblings to see if they would want to live with them in Cape Town.

“While celebrating Liphelo’s birthday last week, and having all 4 kids home for the weekend, we reflected on the fact that almost to the day, 10 years ago, Liphelo and Liyema came to spend a week with us in Cape Town to see that they were comfortable to make the move and come stay with us forever,” she wrote.

“I was 24 years old Nic was 3 months old, Liphelo had just turned 7 and Liyema 12. 10 years, of the greatest gift God could have ever given me. ❤️,” she continued.