Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika Trivia Quiz

Answer: The protea

The protea, a particularly hardy and somewhat unattractive flower, is named after the minor Greek oceanic deity Proteus. The national cricket team is called the Proteas, as opposed to the Springboks (or Amabokoboko) - rugby; and Bafana Bafana - soccer/football.

Answer: 12

The official languages of South Africa include English, Afrikaans (known for a long time as 'kitchen Dutch'), Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu, and South African Sign Language

Answer: True

Owing to its diversity of cultures and races, we truly are considered to be as diverse (if not more so) than a rainbow.

Answer: Richard E. Grant

Richard E. Grant (real name Richard Grant Esterhuizen) was born in Swaziland, a kingdom separate and independent of S.A. proper, but was educated at the University of Cape Town. Other stars hailing from here include Charlize Theron (who, contrary to her Golden Globe speech, does not come from 'a farm'), Basil Rathbone (the original Hollywood Sherlock Holmes), jazz greats Hugh Masekela, Abdullah Ibrahim (previously Dollar Brand) and Miriam Makeba.

Answer: Apartheid

In Afrikaans, this word means 'separateness'.

Answer: Thabo Mbeki

'Nelson' Rolihlahla Mandela, or 'Madiba' as we like to call him, was President from 1994 to 1999. He is one of the oldest statesmen in political history. Thabo Mbeki is a golf fanatic and has some very unusual ideas about HIV/AIDS. Tokyo Sexwale (pronounced 'seh-wah-leh') was the Premier of Gauteng, one of the nine provinces.

He retired from politics and entered commerce, but there are rumblings that he may return to run for president in future. De Lille has founded her own opposition party, the Independent Democrats.

Answer: The Gods Must Be Crazy

This film has everything - although it always saddened me that the gorgeous Sandra Prinsloo's voice was dubbed for the US release. It should have established SA amongst Australia and Ireland as a producer of 'charming' films. Unfortunately, Uys followed it up with the hugely disappointing 'The Gods Must Be Crazy 2' and then we had Leon Schuster (don't even ask!) and the fleeting opportunity slipped through our fingers. Do yourself a favour, though - see 'Beautiful People' if you can get your mitts on a copy!

Answer: Steve Biko

Steve Biko, a Black Consciousness leader and martyr to the cause in the ANC, was murdered in detention and never won the Nobel Prize, although some argue that had he lived to see liberation he may have been bigger than Nelson Mandela. Mandela and De Klerk won the Nobel Peace Prize jointly in 1994 for the peaceful transition made in SA from minority rule and oppression to democracy. Tutu won it in 1984. Coetzee won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2003.

Answer: The Sharpeville Massacre

The Great Trek has nothing to do with the Struggle. The Rivonia Trial took place in October 1963. The Youth Riots, in which Zolile Hector Peterson was the first martyr to this particular cause, were held in protest against the implementation of Afrikaans as the standard medium of education for black students and occurred on 16 June, 1976.

The Sharpeville Massacre (12 March, 1960) took place when police opened fire on more than fifty people who were peacefully protesting against the Pass Laws. Most of the victims were shot in the back, indicating that they were running away, not advancing, when they were slaughtered.

A Police Information and Careers Centre was opened on the site in 2004.

Answer: Wotcher

'Howzit' (a contraction of 'how is it?') is used predominantly by English-speaking South Africans, but is fast being adopted by many other locals. 'Sawubona' means 'good day' in Zulu, while 'Dumelang' is Sotho.