Glossary of Terms

The following words and phrases are commonly used in South African Prisons and over time they become part of the everyday vocabulary… You will need this glossary, to explain the meaning of each word in the following posts:

Air force:              prison gang who’s members are set on trying to escape from custody

Allchange:           all inmates must go to their cells immediately.

Awe:                      a greeting.

Bandiet:               convicted inmate.

Bandietskap:     sentence.

BB:                         (Best Blend) the most common brand of tobacco smoked and traded in prison.

Big five:                prison gang of squealers, pimps and cowards who at all times run to tell stories to  the authorities with inmate secrets…

Blom:                    to sit around waiting…patiently waiting…

Bloubaaitjie:      a prisoner serving a long term sentence of more than 25years. Also refers to repeat offenders spending the majority of their lives in prison.

Bol:                        about 15 to twenty “box’s”.

Bom:                     the isolation cells in all prisons used for punishment.

Bomb:                   illegal device built in prison to make hot water…

Bone:                    mirror polishing ones shoes.

Bovalights:         prison issue black shoes.

Box:                       a varying amount of “weed” neatly wrapped in paper. In some prisons it equals a matchbox quantity or a cold drink cap.

Brah:                     friend or brother.

Bushy:                  a coloured person.

Check:                   the newspaper used to roll cigarettes and zol.

Cheesekop:         shaving ones head.

Cooker:                an inmate working in the kitchen.

DCS:                       Department correctional services

Darkie:                  a black person.

Donkiepiel:          the batten carried by guards for volatile situation and for pointing…

Fishtank:             a visiting room with glass dividing the inmate from his visitors.

Folla:                     the lining up in pairs at the beginning and end of each day by inmates for counting.

Fraans:                 non gang members

Gamla:                 a person perceived to be rich. Also refers to people receiving regular visits and support from their people or family…

Garra-garra:       see “mbamba”

Gas:                       electricity.

Gatta:                   name used in reference to guards (members, boer)

Gila:                       the made up package of valuables. See “up”

Gita:                      gentleman (pronounced djita)

Gomba:               the truck or van used to transport inmates.

Gunlight:             a normal cigarette lighter.

Hola:                     it means “hi” or “hallo”

Isinyonga:           illegal power wires i.e. for connecting ones radio. Usually isolated with plastic from bread bags…

Isolation:             see “bom”

Kak:                       Afrikaans word meaning “shit”

Khomba:             slang for accusing someone or pointing ones finger at someone.

Khulukhuts:        single cells.

Latla:                     to make a mistake.

Macarenas:        see “Bovalights”.

Mallala-pipes:   a poor individual who lived off the streets and never owned much…(a bum)

Mbamba:            a type of beer brewed by inmates using either potatoes, apples or peaches and bread to derive the heist necessary for fermentation.

Mbungulu:         bed lice

Mix:                       usually cigarette tobacco used to “mix” with ”weed”

Mkukhu:              the hanging of sheets. To close off ones bottom bunk bed with a sheet hanging from the top bed, for some privacy…

Mlunghu:            a white person.

Ntwala:                lice

Outie:                    someone who might help one out. Also friend.

Paptrok:              someone who will do anything for “pap”

Phagga:               the process of dishing up food.

Pagga:                 see phagga

Phaggaline:        standing in line for food.

Pimp:                    a person telling stories to the authorities. Usually a member of the “big five” gang.

Poke:                     to stab someone. Also refers to the sharpened object used to stab someone.

Prisoner:              see “bandiet”.

Pypskag:             area between sections in prison where pipes usually run

Safe:                      refers to the stomach or up the rectum… see “up”

Scallo:                   a complaint or problem.

Scooter:               see “shigisha”

Scully:                   where the food is dished up from.

Selftight:              plastic used and stretched for wrapping items used in gilas.

Sharp:                   meaning “I am fine” or “o.k.”

Shigisha:              a rag or piece if blanket used to shuffle along the floor to polish it.

Shortsteps:         chains around an inmates ankles to prevent him from running away and giving normal steps.

Skaftin:                the container used to have your food dished up in. usually an 2liter ice-cream container used as a plate.

Skelm:                   the trick referred to when trying to fool someone into believing a story.

Skepper:              inmates dishing up food. Also used when receiving a smaller than usual portion of food.

Skholo:                 the hard crusty layer left in a porridge pot.

Skumba:              meeting of gang members.

Skutt:                    a random search by Gatta’s for illegal items…

Slope:                    a small amount of tobacco neatly wrapped in paper. It is used to trade with and its equivalent to about 3 “ten’s”

Smokkel:              smuggling.

Spin:                      (pronounced spien) going around prison asking or begging for something in need of i.e. a “slope”, “waste”, coffee, bread exc.

Spottie:                a prison issued hat worn by some inmates. Similar to duck hunting caps.

Squat:                   inmates usually line up in rows in a squatted position during counting

Straf:                     sentence.

Stupa:                   making a fingerprint of ones thumb on official documents.

Ten:                       a small amount of tobacco used in rolling a check cigarette.

Ticket:                   the prison ticket identifying an inmate with all his personal details i.e. sentence term, charge, thumb print exc.

Twenty:                a sealed packet of cigarettes, usually Peter Stuyvesant.

Twenty eight:    prison gang of homosexuals

Twenty six:         prison gang of thieves and robbers

Up:                         a tricky process of hiding items of importance i.e. drugs or money wrapped in cling wrap… it is deposited in the safest place in prison – the owners ass…

Werk:                    “to werk someone” (to con someone)

Waste:                  a roll of toilet paper.

Weed:                   cannabis.

Wetslaan:           practicing gangsterism.

Zol:                         dagga or weed.