South Africa Slang Dictionary

South African slang is a rich, multilingual mix that borrows freely from the country's eleven official languages - isiZulu, isiXhosa, Afrikaans, Sesotho and more - plus street languages like tsotsitaal and Sepitori. It's the language of the townships, the taxi rank, kwaito and amapiano, and everyday Mzansi life from Joburg to Cape Town to Durban. Words like eish, howzit, lekker, sharp sharp and yebo are woven into how South Africans speak every day. Explore the community-built dictionary of South African slang below - and add the words you know.

A term referring to a large amount of something.
Example

I've got alcohol for days, fam.

Varsity Dude 23 April 2021
Whenever President Cyril Ramaphosa sets up a time to address the country about Covid.
Example

There will be another family meeting, I hope he doesn't ban alcohol again.

Mr Trends 22 April 2021
A derogatory term for foreigners in South African slang, particularly foreigners from African countries.
Can also be spelt as Kwirikwiri or kwarakwara.
Example

Stop calling foreign people kwerekwere!

DRex 21 April 2021
A sfebe that hides behind being a feminist but do sfebe things behind closed doors.
Example

That one is just pretending to be a feminist. She actually is a sfebenist.

Varsity Dude 21 April 2021
University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. Students who go here think they breathe flavoured air and will make sure you know it.
Example

No one:

Wits student: Wits is better than UCT but this is a conversation y'all are not ready for.

Varsity Dude 21 April 2021

UCT

University of Cape Town. People who go there and Wits will make sure that it comes up in the conversation that they go there.
Example

No one:

UCT student: So back in UCT, blah blah blah.

Varsity Dude 21 April 2021
The first lecture of the day (07h45) at Rhodes University.

Also see Rhodent.
Example

Yoh dawg, I partied to hard last night that I missed my dawnie.

Varsity Dude 21 April 2021
The term for a student at Rhodes University, South Africa.

Rhodes is notorious for its heavy-drinking scene. Thus, being a Rhodent is also synonymous with drinking heavily.
Example

Rhodents were overdrinking everyone at that party last night.

Varsity Dude 21 April 2021

TUT

A University in Pretoria (Tshwane), South Africa. TUT is short for Tshwane University of Technology. It is known for being in the forefront of all violent strikes/protests in South Africa.
Example

Did you see what TUT students were doing to the cops during the protest?

Varsity Dude 21 April 2021
Another name (Nickname) for the University of Pretoria, South Africa.
Example

I got rejected at Tuks so I will apply at TUT.

Varsity Dude 21 April 2021
A Sepitori term for a loose girl or sfebe.
Can also be spelt as Mogwanthi.
Example

Mogwanti wa Pitori.

Danny 20 April 2021
Igolo is a Xhosa/Zulu term for an asshole. It is also used as a swear word so I would suggest you don't call anyone that.
Example

You are mad, golo.

DRex 19 April 2021

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