Rachel Kolisi has reportedly filed “constructive dismissal” papers with the CCMA after her departure as CEO from The Kolisi Foundation.
In her complaint, she claims, “The applicant resigned because the employer acted unfairly, making continued employment intolerable.”
According to an article in Daily Maverick, Rachel is seeking either reinstatement to her position or compensation for the “distress caused by the constructive dismissal”.
DM approached Rachel for comment, however, she responded, “I won’t be commenting on this, at this stage.” The Kolisi Foundation board has not yet responded to inquiries.
Speculation surrounding the future of the Kolisi Foundation has grown since the announcement of the couple’s separation in October 2024 – a development that shocked many in South Africa, where they are seen as a symbol of the “golden couple.”
A source told DM that although Siya and Rachel Kolisi were co-founders of the foundation, Siya’s involvement was “limited in comparison to Rachel’s”.
“The strength of the foundation has always been the co-founders, but the vision is very clearly Rachel’s.
“In this sector, you can always sense fluff coming through. Rachel is not just a figurehead. She is the real force of the foundation in terms of making the vision work.”
The CCMA filing seems to fly in the face of the ‘fond farewell’ Rachel was given when she first announced that she was leaving the Foundation. At the time, NGO the Justice Desk posted to Instagram:
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News24 also quoted The Kolisi Foundation, which said at the time: “The Kolisi Foundation is aware of recent media reports and inquiries. The board is actively managing the situation with the utmost care and responsibility. Our primary focus is to ensure the stability and continuity of the Foundation’s mission and impact.”
“In the interim, the board has appointed one of its members as acting CEO to ensure continuity and stability. A formal statement will be issued by the board in due course. Until then, we will not be making any further comments.”
As the CCMA filing suggests, her stepping down was likely entangled with the couple’s divorce, which makes the entire situation rather unfortunate. Divorce is hard enough without having to deal with everything in public.
[Source: Daily Maverick]
