Винсент Тшитика: я так же горжусь своей конголезской, как и южноафриканской идентичностью

Vincent Tshituka: ‘I’m South African just as much as I’m Congolese’ Vincent Tshituka has reflected on representing both his home country and his adoptive one as a Springbok player. Vincent Tshituka and his family have spent more than two decades in South Africa, but still consider themselves “proudly Congolese”. This perspective has enabled the Springbok to empathise with both foreign migrants and South Africans seeking to secure its borders. Vincent, his parents, and his three siblings – including teammate Manu – fled the DRC to South Africa as refugees in 2002. Last year, the brothers finally received their documentation, which enabled their integration into the national team. They also recently signed with Roc Nation Sports, a sports management company that represents Siya Kolisi and Cheslin Kolbe. VINCENT TSHITUKA: PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN AND CONGOLESE Last weekend, Vincent Tshituka earned his second cap for the Springboks in a game against Scotland. The 27-year-old revealed that he was representing both his birth and adoptive countries. He told SA Rugby: “I’m Congolese, and I’m proud that I’m Congolese, but I’m South African just as much as I am Congolese. He added: “It’s never a shame that you are foreign. You should be able to embrace it”. Speaking to Sports Boom, Vincent Tshituka reflected on the recent protest action against illegal immigrants. Vincent empathised with fellow Africans who had fled their homes, as well as South Africans who pushed back. He said, “The demonstrations didn’t create anxiety for me or my family, but they definitely caused us sorrow and pain. To see and witness these protests is sad, and it keeps recurring. “You can see that there is a good intention behind some of the marches, at their root, but it always gets exaggerated and falls into a chaotic space and then women, children and the elderly get hurt. It never brings a solution” He continued: “Our lives all have different starting points, and no one has the ability to choose where they begin their life; it is never your choice. “Your background does not dictate your intention, who you are as a person. You should be proud of where you come from. But I am just as much South African as I am Congolese. South Africa is now more my home, and I am a very proud Springbok.” WHY THEY FLED THEIR HOME COUNTRY Vincent Tshituka, his parents, and his three siblings fled the DRC in 2002 amid political unrest. The family arrived in Johannesburg as refugees struggled to survive. Patriarch Simon Tshituka accepted “degrading jobs”, like combing through trash to sell items. However, their struggles was not something brothers experienced first-hand. Vincent told Rugby Pass: “My parents protected us so well from the pain they went through. My mum could be crying in the bedroom, but she’d never let us see it. There was no money, but we still had each other and loved each other. The adults took all the bullets and protected us from everything”. Of his ability to “pay back” his parents, Vincent added: “I’m actually grateful for it, and I always say, there’s something beautiful about being the underdog that only the underdog will ever really understand.” Last year, Vincent finally made his debut for the Springboks after many delays. Even though both he and his brother Manu held South African citizenship and passports, they still required an identity document to represent South Africa. After much back-and-forth, the siblings finally received their documentation from the Department of Home Affairs, which enabled their integration into the national team.