Like a phoenix, Siphiwo Tsotsa rose from the heart break of a paralysing rugby injury to become a leader in his community
A phoenix rising from the ashes. If ever someone personified this metaphor, it’s Siphiwo Tsotsa, who went from lying paralysed on a rugby pitch to becoming a pillar of strength in the Fort Beaufort community.
On 6 July 1996, a 33-year-old Siphiwo was playing lock for Crusaders Rugby Football Club against the Black Hawks at Newtown rugby field when his world came crashing down.
“I jumped into the air to catch the kick-off,” Siphiwo recalls. “Unfortunately, my props didn’t support me, and while I was in the air, our opponents bulldozed me. I turned upside down and landed straight onto my head with my whole body weight, breaking my neck.”
“I still remember not feeling anything in my whole body. I could hear and see, but not talk. It was then that I knew that I was paralysed,” he shares. Siphiwo had sustained an incomplete C2 spinal cord injury and was taken to Fort Beaufort Provincial Hospital. He was then transferred to St Dominic’s Hospital
in East London and finally to Conradie Hospital in Cape Town a week later, where he underwent rehabilitation for an extremely long and challenging 18 months.
He continues to manage neurological issues down the left side of his body, but is able to walk and remains disciplined and committed to his rehabilitation. So much so that he exercises on his stationary bicycle and uses a vibration machine to support circulation and mobility on a daily basis. He shares: “I’ve always been disciplined, so the rehab has become part of my routine.”
A Department Head at Richmond High School at the time of his injury, the tragic turn didn’t deny but only delayed his destiny: becoming a mentor unlike any other. An inspirational leader who not only talked the talk but walked the walk, he was promoted to Deputy Principal in 1998, a position he held until 2016, when he was appointed Principle of Sakhululeka High School.
“I became a teacher because I had a love for children and a passion for the job,” he explained. “I taught Biology, now known as Life Sciences, and IsiXhosa home language. I thoroughly enjoyed being in class with learners. As a Principal, I enjoyed leading the team. It was a great honour and taught me how to truly respect everyone.”
Given the challenges he faced and overcame with remarkable determination, Siphiwo was uniquely able to offer learners holistic advice. “The most important lesson I instilled in learners was that education comes first, before anything else. That, and one’s faith in God. If I wasn’t educated, I would never have made it in life,” he shares.
After a stellar career, he retired in 2023. However, as a rugby man through and through, he still passes on more knowledge, passion and belief to generations of young players as President of Crusaders Rugby Football Club.
“I still love rugby very much. I love coaching the under-16 boys and being President of the club,” he says proudly. He enjoys watching sports, especially the rugby practices at the school and club.
Explaining his love of rugby, he said it’s more than a game: “At first, as a youngster, it was all about the enjoyment and the fun of playing rugby, but it became more than just that as I got older. Rugby teaches you a lot about respect, discipline and endurance.”
Siphiwo is well and truly living a full life and is also a proud husband and father of two. He shares: “My family means the world to me. They’ve always been very supportive. They visited me frequently and also played a big role in my rehabilitation process.”
“I’m married to a beautiful young woman, whom I love very much, and we’re blessed with wonderful kids. We have a boy who also plays rugby and who’s a promising fullback for Winterberg Agricultural School’s A team, and we have a beautiful girl who’s doing her last year as a social worker at Boston College in East London.”
His support system also includes the Chris Burger Petro Jackson Players’ Fund. Founded in 1980, the Players’ Fund has assisted over 600 players who sustained catastrophic head, neck and spinal injuries while playing the game they love and currently supports 77 recipients as Rugby’s Caring Hands.
“The Players’ Fund has played a very prominent role in my life, both physically and emotionally,” says Siphiwo. “I’m very grateful for everything they’ve done for me and for their ongoing support.”
Looking back on the road he’s travelled in life, Siphiwo concludes: “There are many lessons that I’ve learned from my injury. I achieved more after my injury than before, so I’d say the most important lesson is that your disability doesn’t have to stop you from reaching your life goals.”
