Sangoma

A Sangoma is a highly respected healer among the Zulu people of South Africa who diagnoses, prescribes, and often performs the rituals to heal a person physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually.


I need to go see a powerful Sangoma.



Isjumbane

Isjumbane is a weapon used in prison to beat a person up. It is a snooker (pool) ball put inside a sock or a metal cup hooked in a belt.


They broke his teeth when they were beating him up with a sjumbane.



Shebeen

Illegal drinking place. In South Africa, it refers to unlicensed bars in Kasi and has become a mainstream word.


I last saw him drinking Zamalek at the shebeen yesterday.



Chop rice

Chop rice is a Nigerian slang term that means “eat rice”.


Ehhhhh. Chop rice, chop rice, chop rice.



Tik

Tik is the South African street name for crystal meth. It also goes by the street name thsuf.


These boys smoke tik and terrorize the community.



Skoon

Having sex without a condom.


I'm going in there skoon baba.



Mngani wa yena

A Tsonga term for "his friend / her friend" that is apparently used to identify unknown soccer players by commentators.
They would call all the names of the "famous" players and when they reach the unknown player, they would say mngani wa yena (his friend).


And he passes the ball to Jabu Pule... Jabu Pule passes to mngani wa yena.



Gintsa

Gintsa or ginsa is a South African term for a thug, mostly those who hijack cars.


She is dating a gintsa hence she has so much money now.



Amandala

The word is used as an intentional misspelling and pronunciation of the word ‘amandla’ which means strength.

The word was popularised on social media after Naomi Campbell said ‘amandala’ instead of the correct ‘amandla’ at the Global Citizen Festival in 2018.


You'll be strong. Hayi wethu Amandala to you.



SBWL

Sbwl is a Xhosa shorthand for “sabaweli”. Sabaweli, which in turn is a shorthand of “andisabaweli, andisayibaweli, etc.”, is built from the root word “ukubawela” which means to crave, want, desire, wish for, fancy, yearn, etc.


1. Umntu wakho xa ebona mna, uthi sbwl. >> When your person sees me, s/he says sbwl.

2. Sbwl beer today.

3. Sbwl the coronavirus to just disappear. 




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