"It's Not the Springboks": Chinese Visitor Shows What He Brought Back to China From South Africa
- A Chinese man visiting South Africa packed several proudly SA items to take back to China
- He believed he had bought a Springbok jersey but accidentally picked up a Bafana Bafana shirt, and South Africans in the comments could not let it slide
- South Africans were charmed by what a foreign visitor found worth treasuring from their country
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Source: TikTok
A Chinese man known on TikTok as @kwlukelu went viral on 28 July 2026 after showing his followers what he packed to bring back to China from South Africa.
Four days into his return home, he gave viewers a tour of his South African haul. He proudly wore what he called a Springbok shirt, unaware that he had actually bought a Bafana Bafana jersey. He then held up a box of rooibos tea, describing it as healthy and packed with antioxidants.
Next came two whale tail display figurines, one large and one small, which he said cost around R250 and R150 respectively. He mentioned bargaining a little but not pushing too hard. The final item was a bottle of Amarula, which a friend named Harper purchased for him because he had already reached his luggage limit with two bottles of champagne.
Why Rooibos is worth taking home
What makes rooibos worth travelling with is that the Aspalathus linearis plant grows naturally only in the Cederberg region of South Africa and cannot be farmed successfully anywhere else in the world. It is caffeine-free, low in tannins, and rich in antioxidants, offering a sweet, earthy flavour that works well plain or with milk. For many South Africans, it is simply a staple. For a visitor from China, it was something worth carrying across continents.
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The video resonated because it flipped the everyday. South Africans watching were reminded that things they walk past in shops every day are genuinely special to outsiders.
Mzansi reacts to the haul
South Africans flooded the comments section on his TikTok page with warmth and laughter:
@Mampakgolo 🇿🇦🇻🇳🇹🇭 said:
"It's a Bafana shirt. You left the Springbok at the store 😂"
@Rose 🌹 asked:
"How can I tell him the truth in Mandarin?"
@Gerry R added:
"Omg... Amarula makes me feel like 'I Am A Ruler' 🤣🤣"
The jersey mix-up became the highlight of the comments, with hundreds of South Africans gently breaking the news to him that his "Springbok shirt" was, in fact, a football jersey. Nobody seemed to mind too much. The fact that he loved it either way was enough.
Watch the TikTok clip below:
More on cultural exchanges with China
- Briefly News recently reported on an African woman's Chinese makeover going viral after a foundation shade mishap, leaving her questioning everything before the final look won everyone over.
- An Asian fitness instructor went viral for teaching Mandarin phrases entirely in fluent Afrikaans, impressing South Africans watching.
- A China City Wholesale Market worker sparked debate after revealing she earns R600 a week with no tea, lunch or toilet breaks.
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Source: Briefly News
