What are some bizarre South African beliefs?

I'll give you some Xhosa superstitions.

If you bite your tongue while you are eating, it means someone you know that is far away is talking about you.

If you eat in a pot then it will rain on your wedding day.

If there is a bee flying around the house then there is an important visitor coming.

Thats all I can think of for now.

I agree with styviesblu. The government are making life harder to scare the whites away! Yes the more whites that leave the more it Will turn out just like Zimbabwe!! There is no doubt about the fact that Africa has been decreasing over the years. BUT I really think that sooner or later things will start to change, look at Mozambique, look how over the say past 10 years it's changed incredibly, however, there is still a lot of work to be done, lots of business men black and white are moving there from Zimbabwe, bringing in the cash for the economy, and now it's picking up. I do believe that South Africa can be prevented from becoming the "next Zimbabwe" but for that to happen, each and every South African, black, white, poor or rich has to OPEN their eyes!! It makes my blood boil to see what has happened to Zimbabwe! I have a lot of hate-rid for Zimbabwe's government and could say so many things about them, but I must calm myself! I just pray for the sake for Africa that we all wake up!! Before it really is too late for not only Africa but for this world! I still have hope, very little but never the less it is still there. I just can't believe such a beautiful mother land, could have so much destruction and violence in it's government! It's truly unbelievable!!

Beetroot, garlic and African potatoe are cures for HIV/AIDS.

HIV does not directly cause AIDS.

Raping virgins and infants will cure you of AIDS.

There is no economic or political crisis in Zimbabwe.

Crime is a perception of racist whites.

Africans are capable of self governance and democratic governance.

Africans have IQ levels on par with Europeans and Asians.

Civilisation began in Africa along with the belief that Africans invented many inventions which they certainly did not.

The primitiveness of Africans is a direct result of colonialsim when it can be easily proved that they were primitive before, during and after colonialism.

Further to that, certain white South Africans have a belief that they are welcomed in that country and there exists a place for them in future generations.

Using Colgate toothpaste and inserting it up a newborn baby's bum to prevent the baby from getting worms. No lie. Some people used to buy up to 3 tubes of toothpaste at the pharmacy i asked them what it was for and that is what she told me all the lady's do. Genuine.

Drinking Quinine tabs to abort the child which is not the case , the child gets born deformed and blind. I explained that a million times and refused to sell it to some customers. That is just two of the believes, there are hundreds.

Venda- Never ask someone for salt, especially at night, it is bad luck and rude.

Zulu- leave salt on your stoop and window-ledges to get rid of the tokolosie.

Xhosa-Zulu- do not pat children on the head, it is bad luck

Afikaans- if you hear an owl at night it is a sign of death

Cape children- if you find a crab smash it open to get the coin out from inside

Cape- do not eat shellfish, they eat the dead gangsters thrown into the sea of the Cape and this is bad luck and bad karma

General South Africa- never kill a rinkhals in your garden, they live in pairs and if you kill one the OTHER will come to avenge his/her lost love.

Those are a couple I know....

An Owl on the corner of the roof predicts death in the family.

Nose itching, you are going to get unexpected visitors.

The little bit of plasenta left on a baby's navel should be buried when it eventualy came off. This would ensure that the child would grow to be big and healthy.

That Zuma is the answer to the country's problems. That one day the Afrikaner will have his own homeland.That you can maintain food production and the economy without knowlegeable farmers.

That the weather in the Cape was bad because the whales had not yet calved!

The Tokoloshe

The sex with virgins as a cure for aids

Sex with babies will cure AIDS.

This one should be put on top of the strange beliefs list.

Female Genital Mutilation which should be immediately stopped. No one has the right to hack off a woman's genitals.