Zama Zamas

Zama Zamas is a name given to illegal miners in South Africa. They find abandoned mines and start mining.


Zama Zamas will stop at nothing to mine what they want.



Qlyv

Qlyv is a shortened version of "Ndiyaqala uyiva", a Xhosa term that means "it is my first time hearing about it".


Girl 1: I hear you are dating Thabo.
Girl 2: Qlyv



Kangethe

A man with a weak and feminine personality


hey wena stop acting like a kangethe



Mali

A landlocked West African country with a rich history including Timbuktu, facing security challenges.


Mali was home to the medieval Mali Empire, one of Africa's most powerful states.



Hade

South African slang-term used as a direct substitute for the words “I’m sorry”. Pronounced as Hah-deh.


Big Bro: Who ate the mnyanelis I left in fridge?!
You: It was me big bro, hade.



Ku Bird

Ku bird is a term that means "it's bad". Like when the situation gets really really bad. People use "bird" because it sounds the same as "bad".


I only have R3.50 in my bank account. Ku bird!



011

011 is the Johannesburg dialling code. It can also used to refer to Johannesburg.


I rep 011 till I die!



Ncmsl

A shortened version of "Undincamisile", a Xhosa term to express shock. Undincamisile can also mean "you have kissed me, you kissed me, s/he kissed me", which is not related to the definition we are talking about here.


Girl 1: She has already moved on.
Girl 2: For real? It's only been 2 weeks.
Girl 1: Dead serious.
Girl 2: Ncmsl



Nkabi

A Xhosa term that is used to refer to a castrated animal (an animal whose balls/testicles have been cut off).


This cow can't make kids because yi nkabi.



Imama

Imama is a term that's been trending on social media that means a woman or a girlfriend.


Imama must be beautiful unprovoked.




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