Presenting the We Are Mzansi guide to SA #WeAreCulture

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#WeAreCulture

Our heritage isn’t something we only think about during Heritage Month. Rather, it’s a living, breathing influence on how we live today. In South Africa, there are so many diverse cultures that make up the fabric of our nation. We wanted to celebrate the many reasons we have to believe in Mzansi, all of which are informed by our heritage—the music, food, places, fashion and art that make South Africa special—but instead of just selecting our favourites, we asked you, our online community, for yours. You voted in a series of polls, and this is what you told us…

Your favourite food

In the category Most Essential SA Meal, the classic braai or shisanyama, part and parcel of the leisure activities of so many of SA’s diverse cultures, was a clear winner with a whopping 67% of the vote. Pap and stew, with 24% of the vote, was the runner-up, beating the other 2 options, the bunny chow and bobotie.

In the category Most Iconic Snack, biltong was way ahead of the other options with 58% of the vote, with magwinya/vetkoek not far behind with 39% and braai broodjies and chilli bites the other choices.

Your Favourite Dessert by far was the iconic South African take on jelly and custard, with a mighty 65% of the vote, followed by the classic koeksister with 35%.

Your Favourite Local Dish was a close category where idombolo (dumplings) emerged victorious with 49% of the vote, followed by chakalaka (25%), pap (16%) and morogo (18%).

Your favourite travel destinations

With inflation and recovery from the national lockdown that ended on 22 April weighing heavily on South African wallets, we decided to focus on not only the best travel destinations but the most affordable.

According to you, the Most Affordable place to go on holiday is Bela Bela in Limpopo, with 47% of the vote, followed by Gauteng’s Magaliesburg (29%) and KZN’s Drakensburg mountains (24%).

Your pick for Best Tourist Attraction in South Africa was everyone’s favourite place to spot The Big 5, Kruger National Park (36%), which narrowly beat Cape Town’s famous Table Mountain (34%), followed by the beauty of Mpumalanga’s God’s Window (22%).

Asked the Most Affordable way to go on holiday, 58% of you chose self-catering accommodation, followed by camping (26%), backpacking (13%) and all-inclusive resorts (11%).

Your favourite music

We asked for your Favourite Style of South African Music, and you answered us loud and clear, with house and its hugely popular recent subgenre amapiano getting 62% of the vote, followed by kwaito and South African hip hop with 16%, jazz, soul and R&B with 14%, and traditional styles such as mbaqanga, sokkie and famo with 6%.  

The fashion facts

We were eager to find out how much the heritage of South Africans informs your fashion sense. Asked, “What Influences Your Sense of Fashion?” with the options ‘my heritage’, ‘music I listen to’, ‘fashion trends’ or ‘I just wear stuff’, 42% of you chose the last option. A significant number of you (19%) did say that your heritage drove your choice in clothes, while a larger amount (26%) preferred to follow the latest fashion trends. Only 12% said their music choices were the biggest factor driving what they wore.

Supporting art in challenging times

Once again informed by our knowledge that big spending is not an option for many South Africans at the moment, we set about working out how South Africans see art. Galleries need our support, so it’s good to see that when asked about the Best Places to See Art, 38% of you said you visited art galleries. Slightly more of you (39%) said you could see the best art on the streets of Mzansi, while 31% looked no further than your phones and found your favourite art on Instagram.  

Asked about the Best Place to Find Affordable Art, 49% of you said you shopped at flea markets, 28% at craft markets and 11% at art fairs. Another 11% of you said you liked buying art directly from the artist.

Enjoying SA culture without breaking the bank

What came through in our We Are Mzansi polls is that South Africans loved celebrating their culture in ways which were affordable and accessible to them. With many South Africans feeling the burn on their wallets, saving and investing is one way to ensure you have the funds you need to appreciate the culture and entertainment options South Africans love. We have a range of accounts to help make your dreams possible, such as:

Our PureSave account, with anytime access to funds, zero transaction fees and 4.35% interest

Our Flexi Advantage investment account, with anytime access to funds, zero transaction fees, 7.05% interest and a R1 000 opening deposit

Our Tax-Free Call investment account with anytime access to funds, zero transaction fees, 6.25% interest and zero tax

Speak to one of our consultants about how to achieve your financial goals today. Terms and conditions apply.