For the past two months, I have been passing two security guards on my way to work, we have never had a full-blown conversation, yet every time we see each other we smile and greet one another. The security guards see and greet so many people daily, that’s life in South Africa.
We have the spirit of Ubuntu (a Xhosa term simply meaning I am because we are/ humanity towards others) as a diverse country with 11 official languages and 9 provinces we have learned to live with each other and respect each other’s cultures and so this is why we have the spirit of Ubuntu because we understand that besides our cultural differences, languages, and ethics; we need each other.

When you are here, you will often hear people speak of Black, White, and Coloured people. It is important to be able to differentiate between these groups of people, let me explain these groups of people and how they differ:

Black South Africans: The larger group of people in the country, they are dark, and light-skinned African people, not necessarily South African as some of them may be coming from other African countries. Their first language may be Xhosa, Zulu, Sotho, Pedi, Tsonga, Ndebele, Shona, Chebe, French, and many African languages. To make it a little bit clear for you, if you are a movie lover then you know Woman King, Nawi on Woman King is a black Zulu South African woman and her real name is Thuso Mbedu, if you love music you might recognize the name Black Coffee, a South African Zulu DJ and lastly a name that always rings a bell; Tata Nelson Mandela, he is a black Xhosa man.

White South Africans: White Africans who were born and bred in Africa and White people who moved to South Africa from other countries they primarily descended from Dutch, German, and French settlers so this means they speak Afrikaans, English, Dutch, German, and French. Marvel fans will know this one, Clea on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is our own born and bred White South African Charlize Theron. Do you remember the bald guy in the movie The Mommy? Yes him, his name is Arnold Vosloo. That’s our homie and lastly, if you love history and politics like my dad, you know Helen Suzman who was an anti-apartheid activist and member of Parliament for 36 years, she received many awards and honors. These include the United Nations Human Rights Award in 1978 and honorary degrees from Oxford, Cambridge, and Harvard.

Coloured South Africans: Coloured people are South African individuals of mixed racial heritage, often with a combination of African, European, and/or Asian ancestry. They are dark and light-skinned, and they have naturally curled, silky, and afro hair. They have their own culture and traditions, different from those of the two above groups. Their first language is Afrikaans. The term ‘’Coloured’’ is considered a racial slur in other countries, especially in America and artists such as Tyla, yes, the international Amapiano singer have caught some smoke for calling themselves Coloured, but in South Africa, we are completely fine with the term even though it was used by the government during apartheid. Using the term might be uncomfortable to non-South Africans, but it is crucial to understand and respect that Coloured people in South Africa have built a beautiful culture for themselves and addressing them as ‘’black’’ as you would in America, takes their culture from them. There are other people in the entertainment industry whose names might ring a bell, like the famous comedian and writer Trevor Noah whose father is a White Swiss and whose mother a Black Xhosa. If interested, Trevor has a book Born a Crime, where he dives into his childhood as a Coloured boy in the apartheid era.

Besides our mutual love for rugby, food, and Amapiano the following things keep us together as the rainbow nation (a term Archbishop Desmond Tutu came up with in the 1990s, it describes this diverse nation with people of all colours, from all backgrounds, rich and poor, all religions and many different languages) Respect: irrespective of your culture, race, age, or gender South Africans are big on respect. Honorifics/titles are a big deal here, especially when referring to those older than you, including your boss or manager, it shows respect. Even if the person is not your family member, we usually refer to them as aunt, uncle, or sisi.

Politeness: From my introduction, you can tell that South Africans are polite, whether we know each other or not we greet, each other how we feel and there’s always time for a little chat.

Patience: People here are patient, I am bad at explaining things, especially directions, and have gotten lost so many times in this city, but I always find a patient public security guard who is willing to listen to me trying to explain where I’m going and then they direct and even accompany me the right way.

South Africa's spirit of Ubuntu highlights the country's ability to embrace diversity and foster unity. Despite its many languages and ethnic groups, South Africans live harmoniously, respecting each other's cultures. The vibrant mix of Black, White, and Coloured communities contributes to the nation's identity as a "rainbow nation." This spirit of respect, politeness, and patience defines South African society, making it welcoming and inclusive for everyone.