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ROBBEN ISLAND
isolation island
Since the end of the 17th century, Robben Island has been used to isolate people, mainly prisoners and amongst its first permanent inhabitants were political leaders from various Dutch colonies. From 1836 to 1931 the island was used as a leper colony and during the 2nd World War, the island was fortified and guns were installed as part of the defences for Cape Town. Robben Island became a maximum security prison in 1959. Between 1961 and 1991, over three thousand men were incarcerated there as political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela.
understanding south african language
South Africans speak English, but that doesn't mean you'll always understand us... Different regions of South Africa have a variety of accents and slang.
SA English has a flavour all its own, borrowing freely from Afrikaans - (similar to Dutch and Flemish) - as well as from the country's many African languages, with some words coming from colonial-era Malay and Portuguese immigrants.
THE FUNNY SIDE OF SOUTH AFRICA LANGUAGE
buy a donkey (baie dankie) - thank you
boot (boet) - brother
foot sack (voetsek) - Go away, buzz off.
gate full (gatvol) - fed up
brew (bru) - A term of affection, shortened from Afrikaans broer, meaning "brother".
china (china) - friend
SA English has a flavour all its own, borrowing freely from Afrikaans - (similar to Dutch and Flemish) - as well as from the country's many African languages, with some words coming from colonial-era Malay and Portuguese immigrants.
THE FUNNY SIDE OF SOUTH AFRICA LANGUAGE
buy a donkey (baie dankie) - thank you
boot (boet) - brother
foot sack (voetsek) - Go away, buzz off.
gate full (gatvol) - fed up
brew (bru) - A term of affection, shortened from Afrikaans broer, meaning "brother".
china (china) - friend
SOUTH AFRICA FOOD GLOSSARY
biltong (bill-tong) - This South African favourite is dried and salted meat, similar to beef jerky, although it can be made from ostrich, kudu or any other red meat.
boerewors (boor-uh-vors) - farmer's sausage. A savoury sausage developed by the Boers some 200 years ago, boerewors is South African food at its most traditional.
bobotie (buh-boor-tee) - A dish of Malay origin, made with minced meat and spices, and topped with an egg sauce.
braai (br-eye) - An outdoor barbecue, where meat such as steak, chops, chicken and boerewors are cooked.
bredie (brear-dee) - A traditional South African mutton stew, first brought to the country by Malay immigrants.
bunny chow - Delicious and cheap food on the go, bunny chow is curry served in a hollowed-out half-loaf of bread. Perfect for eating on the side of the road while backpacking across South Africa.
droewors (droo-uh-vors) - Dried boerewors, similar to biltong.
frikkadel (frik-kuh-dell) - A traditional meatball.
marmite - Trade name of a dark-coloured spread made from vegetable extract and used on bread or toast.
mealie (pronounce mih-lih) - Maize or corn. A mealie is a maize cob, and mealie meal is maize meal, South Africa staple diet naartjie (nar-chee) - The South African word for tangerine.
pap (pup) - The staple food of South Africa, a porridge made from mealie meal (maize meal) cooked with water and salt to a fairly stiff consistency - stywepap being the stiffest. Pap can also mean weak or tired.
potjiekos (poi-chee-kors) - Traditional Afrikaner food, generally a rich stew, cooked in a three-legged cast-iron pot over a fire. The word means "little-pot food" in Afrikaans.
slap chips (slup chips) - French fries, usually soft, oily and vinegar-drenched, bought in a brown paper bag. Slap is Afrikaans for "limp", which is how French fries are generally made here.
vetkoek (fet-cook) - "Fat cake" in Afrikaans, vetkoek is a doughnut-sized bread roll made from deep-fried yeast dough. Mainly served with a savoury mince filling, it's artery-clogging and delicious.
biltong (bill-tong) - This South African favourite is dried and salted meat, similar to beef jerky, although it can be made from ostrich, kudu or any other red meat.
boerewors (boor-uh-vors) - farmer's sausage. A savoury sausage developed by the Boers some 200 years ago, boerewors is South African food at its most traditional.
bobotie (buh-boor-tee) - A dish of Malay origin, made with minced meat and spices, and topped with an egg sauce.
braai (br-eye) - An outdoor barbecue, where meat such as steak, chops, chicken and boerewors are cooked.
bredie (brear-dee) - A traditional South African mutton stew, first brought to the country by Malay immigrants.
bunny chow - Delicious and cheap food on the go, bunny chow is curry served in a hollowed-out half-loaf of bread. Perfect for eating on the side of the road while backpacking across South Africa.
droewors (droo-uh-vors) - Dried boerewors, similar to biltong.
frikkadel (frik-kuh-dell) - A traditional meatball.
marmite - Trade name of a dark-coloured spread made from vegetable extract and used on bread or toast.
mealie (pronounce mih-lih) - Maize or corn. A mealie is a maize cob, and mealie meal is maize meal, South Africa staple diet naartjie (nar-chee) - The South African word for tangerine.
pap (pup) - The staple food of South Africa, a porridge made from mealie meal (maize meal) cooked with water and salt to a fairly stiff consistency - stywepap being the stiffest. Pap can also mean weak or tired.
potjiekos (poi-chee-kors) - Traditional Afrikaner food, generally a rich stew, cooked in a three-legged cast-iron pot over a fire. The word means "little-pot food" in Afrikaans.
slap chips (slup chips) - French fries, usually soft, oily and vinegar-drenched, bought in a brown paper bag. Slap is Afrikaans for "limp", which is how French fries are generally made here.
vetkoek (fet-cook) - "Fat cake" in Afrikaans, vetkoek is a doughnut-sized bread roll made from deep-fried yeast dough. Mainly served with a savoury mince filling, it's artery-clogging and delicious.