’n Boer maak ’n plan.
Literally: a farmer makes a plan.
What it actually means: give a South African some duct tape, 14% battery, and a mild inconvenience, and they will somehow deliver a working solution by lunch.
Regardless of language, colour, creed, or tribe, this is the default behaviour.
Which is great.
Until you have to work with them.
So here is a short guide. Buckle up.
They will not wait
First, understand the core principle: if something breaks, they will not wait.
There is no ticket. There is no escalation path. There is no “let's circle back.” There is only a growing discomfort with the problem existing at all, followed by action.
They will fix it. Or route around it. Or quietly replace it with something better. Often without telling you.
This is not insubordination.
Process is a suggestion.
If your system does not work, another one will appear
If your system works, they will use it. If it doesn't, they will create a version that does.
Spreadsheets will appear. WhatsApp threads will replace official communications. Entire workflows will migrate into someone's personal Google Doc. If you ask where the work lives, the answer may be “in my head” or “don't worry, I've got it.”
They do have it.
“Ja” does not mean yes
It means “I hear you.”
Sometimes it means “I will do that.” Sometimes it means “that is completely unreasonable, but I'm choosing peace.” You will learn to read tone, timing, and facial expressions like a forensic linguist.
“Now now” does not mean now.
“Just now” definitely does not mean now.
“Later” means any time from the next two hours to the next two weeks.
“Right now” is your only safe option. Even then, manage expectations.
They will question everything
“Ja, but why?” is not pushback. It is curiosity mixed with mild suspicion that the rule exists for no good reason.
“Because that's just how it is” is not an acceptable answer. It is an invitation for them to ignore you creatively.
If you want compliance, give context. If you do not have context, expect improvisation.
They value output over polish
Something working at 80% today is better than something perfect next week.
They will ship early, fix later, and somehow keep moving forward while everything is slightly on fire.
This is how things get done.
This is also how things occasionally fall apart.
They are resilient, to a fault
They come from a country where basic civil services are unreliable and yet, somehow, everything still works. You would not know it unless you looked closely.
Load shedding? Fine. Wi-Fi down? Hotspot. No hotspot? Drive somewhere with signal. No signal? You will get a voice note later explaining what happened, plus a working solution you did not ask for.
The upside is obvious: they do not stop.
The downside is subtle: they do not stop.
They will work around broken systems so effectively that the systems never get fixed. They will solve problems so quickly that no one is held accountable for creating them. They will keep going long past the point where someone should have said, “this isn't good enough.”
They adapt. Constantly.
And that is the paradox.
You are working with people who can function in chaos, which makes them exceptional in difficult environments and mildly dangerous in functional ones.
They will move faster than your process. They will challenge your assumptions. They will deliver results you did not want. They will deliver results you did not think were possible.
They will occasionally ignore the thing you cared about most because that is something they will fix later.
Ja, later.
How to work with them
Be clear on outcomes. Not steps.
Explain why. Not just what.
Set real deadlines. Not polite ones.
Check in, but do not micromanage.
And if they say, “don't worry, I've made a plan,” you are probably fine.
Probably.