Every day is a good day for some South African humor, to be honest! In South Africa, it’s normal for a group to share joke after joke. What can we say? We love to laugh! That’s the thing about SA…the nation is quick to find the humour in even the most tragic of situations.
Drawing from the country’s rich cultural tapestry, stunning landscapes, and everyday experiences-like braais, biltong, or navigating load-shedding-these jokes often blend witty wordplay with local slang and shared traditions.
As an SA expat, you might be missing out on some of those old favourite South African jokes. Don’t worry though, you’re about to get your fix.
Want a few “off the cuff” South African jokes up your sleeve to unleash on people? Here are a few to have handy, to get people giggling:
- Local one-liner humour: I took a trip to South Africa and met a Khoisan woman.
- Missing SA humour: In Toronto I saw a bumper sticker on a parked car that read “I miss South Africa”.
For example:
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Why did the springbok join the rugby team?
Because he wanted to be a try-hard!
Or consider this:
Why was the math book sad in Africa?
Because it had too many problems!
Here's another one for you:
How do you greet a space alien in Africa? You say, “Take me to your bleeder!”
Speaking of jokes, do you remember that guy Jan van der Merwe? It’s not just random funny South African jokes out there about Jan Van der Merwe that effectively portray the nation’s humour. Van der Merwe was watching the British Lions test match at Loftus in Pretoria. Has that jolted your memory of Van der Merwe? It probably has!
Here is a joke about Jan van de Merwe:
Jan van de Merwe is a South African farmer and he really wants a shiny new tractor but he can't afford it! So he makes a plan: he is going to win the lottery and use the money to buy a new tractor. He is also a religious man, so every night before going to sleep he kneels by his bed and prays:
Here's another joke:
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Hello, is this the South African Police?”
“Eish-Yes. What you want?”
“I’m calling to report my neighbour, Hendrik van der Merwe! He is hiding dagga (Cannabis) inside his firewood.”
“Eeeh-Yes…Thank you for your co-operasheen and informasheen in combating crime and violence, in our society su...”
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South African Comedians
There are TV shows that truly celebrate South African humour too. One particular show is Maak ’n Las, which featured just about every Afrikaans South African joke you could think of in the 80s and 90s, is one most South Africans will remember. If you are looking for a good laugh, just search YouTube for Maak ‘n Las lekker-lag stories.
There are also some great South African stand-up comedians worthy of mention. Many of them have international fan bases too.
For one, Trevor Noah is a well know stand-up comedian who joked his way all the way to being the host of the American “Late Show”. Barry Hilton aka “the Cousin” is another well-known name internationally. Then of course there is Marc Lottering who is quite a personality! Marc is from Cape Town, but that doesn’t stop his South African humour reaching all corners of the globe. His first show as called “After the Beep” in 1997 and his career just took off from there.
What about John Vlismas? He was a chuckle a minute when he first took to the stage - and he still is. John Vlismas is of course a stand-up comedian, but also does entertainment promotions. He has won the 2007 SA Comedy Award and was even a finalist at the Yuk Yuk’s Great Canadian Laugh Off in 2008.
Check out this table with some of the most famous South African comedians:
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| Comedian | Known For |
|---|---|
| Trevor Noah | Hosting "The Daily Show" and stand-up comedy |
| Barry Hilton | International stand-up comedy |
| Marc Lottering | Cape Town-based comedy |
| John Vlismas | Stand-up comedy and entertainment promotions |
Naturally, you are in a new country and looking to fit in with your new community. What better way to make friends than to get people laughing?
You might have moved to a completely different country, but it seems like you might be in luck. Chances are that your new colleagues and friends might have already heard the names of one or two South African comedians and might even know a little bit about South African jokes and humour.
Here's a joke about an Oscar Pistorius:
• Roses are red,Violets are glorious,Don't try to surpriseOscar Pistorius
• She didn't notice Oscar sneaking up behind her. It was the silence of the limbs.
• Oscar Pistorius. Not the first South African with a race problem.
• When Oscar Pistorius sai...
Here is a joke with Englishman and South African:
The Englishman and South African both drink from Pint Glasses, the Australian from a bottle.
The South African, upon draining his glass, drops in back down on the bar, pulls out a pistol, and shoots the glass.
"In South Africa, there is so much sand that I never drink from the same gla...
Remember to share these jokes with friends, bring a little sunshine to someone’s day, or keep them in your personal treasure trove of laughter.
