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On holidays, churches usually hold services. Some of the most well known holidays are Christmas, Human Rights Day, and Freedom Day. Human Rights Day is a holiday to ensure people of their rights and make people aware of harsh abuses that used to happen. It is important that people are aware of the abuses that used to happen, so that something like that never happens again. Freedom Day celebrates the first election South Africa had in 1994. Lastly, the holiday Christmas is only celebrated by Christians. There are presents, trees, and all things that show Christmas spirit. Sometimes people will slaughter sheep to mark the special occasion. There might even be festivals. Holidays are a great way to have fun and to honor special days in the past.

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There are many different ways people eat their food in South Africa. White South Africans put the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right hand. Black South Africans usually use their hands or spoons. For adults, it is not appropriate to be eating on the street unless you are at a food stand. In South Africa, eating alone is very rare. When people eat dinner, it is usually after six pm. Every weekend, barbecues are common. At barbecues, they might cook boerewors, sosaties (kebabs), and potjiekos which is meat and vegetables cooked in a three-legged iron pot over the fire. The lifestyle in South Africa is very different compared to the lifestyle we have here.

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South Africa has many diverse foods. They eat many different things including roast beef or roast lamb, potatoes, curries, boerewors and pickled fish, grilled meats, stewed tomatoes, cabbage, pumpkin, and spinach. Curry is a combination of spices or herbs, and fresh or dried chili. Boerewors is a type of sausage, it is an important part in the South African cuisine. Many rural people eat corn, rice, beans, and potatoes. Black South Africans enjoy eating something called mealie meal, which is a cornmeal porridge with vegetables and meat. For festivals and holidays, potjiekos, a pot food, is commonly cooked. There is a custard-like pie called a milk tart, which is a very famous dessert there. In South Africa, there is a large variety of many different foods.

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South Africa is a savanna and semidesert. There are long beaches, green forests, and rugged mountains. Some important rivers are called Orange, Vaal, and Limpopo. There is so much diverse wildlife that adds to scenic beauty. There are also high mountain ranges that have snow on the the very top. South Africa’s land is very beautiful.

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South Africa is subtropical. The seasons are opposite to the ones in the Northern Hemisphere. The humidity is pretty low, and winters along the coasts are not common. Most of the country has sunny, hot days, and cool nights. Around ten percent of the country has more than one thousand millimeters of rain a year. The rainy season is in the summer. Farmers sometimes have droughts or water shortages. Often there are thunderstorms in the middle of the day that clear up very fast. South African weather seems nice to live in.

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Dancing is popular in South Africa. There is a popular dance called the mbaqanga dance. There are also many ballet performances. For visual art, many people produce basketry, beadwork, and soapstone carvings. Many people in South Africa have different, unique ideas for art.

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In South Africa, there are many different types of music. There is choir, traditional folk music, there is Kwaito music which incorporates African melodies, hip hop, and reggae. This type of music appeals to most young people. There are also many opera performances. Music is very diverse in South Africa.

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School can be a huge part of kids lives if they are serious about it and work hard. It is mandatory from ages seven to fifteen. General education is from ages one to nine and further education is from ten to twelve. High school education is more common for white South Africans than black South Africans. Many schools do not have supplies to provide. In school, kids might learn different languages. South African languages are Nguni, Sotho, Tsonga, Shangana, and Venda. Most black South Africans speak a type of Nguni: Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele, and Swazi. Sotho languages are most spoken around the country: South Sotho, North Sotho, and Setswana. In business, English is common. For recreation, soccer, rugby, and cricket are most popular. White South Africans prefer rugby and cricket, soccer is more for black South Africans. People who have club memberships might participate in squash, lawn bowling, golf, field hockey, and sailing. Squash is when singles or doubles alternate in striking a small, hollow, rubber ball with their racket, onto the four walls of the court. People enjoy beaches, pools, parks, libraries, and movie theaters too. In rural areas, many kids make their own toys such as tin guitars, wire cars, and nylon soccer balls. Recreation makes a huge impact on how people have fun.

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Dating only happens when a man announces he loves someone. Most South Africans plan on getting married and having children. The two families have to agree on a price that the groom has to pay the bride’s family. A couple might have several kids before it is paid. The couple cannot be divorced until the bride’s family has payed back the exact amount of money. When people get married, it is usually in a church. In 2006, South Africa was one of the first countries in the world to allow same-sex marriage. Houses in South Africa are very expensive and most likely have a living room, dining, room, at least one bathroom, at least two bedrooms, a garage, and running water. Urban black South Africans usually live shantytowns.  Shantytowns are a deprived area on the outskirts of town. Shantytown houses consist of iron, wood, cardboard, and usually have only one room with no electricity. Water is shared by the community. Extended families of different generations usually live together. In South Africa, houses and communities are very different for people.

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Most South Africans are Christian. Many Indians are Hindus and others are Muslim and Christian. Afrikaan Speakers mostly belong to the Dutch Reformed Churches. Black South Africans usually belong to African Independent Churches that combine Christian and traditional African beliefs. Church plays an important role to the people in South Africa. Fifteen percent of Africans have no religion.

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South Africa gained independence from Britain. They gained their independence from war. They left the British Commonwealth because of criticism over the racial laws and policies. Britain had ruled the South African colonies for awhile. The South African flag represents their independence and their nation. The red, white and blue colors were taken from the colors of the Boer Republics. The yellow, black and green are taken from the African National Congress (ANC) flag.

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Two of the most known wars in South Africa are the Boer Wars. In 1910, Britain combined its Cape and Natal colonies with the Boer places to make the Union of South Africa. The Boers were the Dutch, French refugees, Germans, and South Africans. They won most battles and won against Britain. They were fighting because Britain ruled the South African colonies.

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The currency in South Africa is called South African Rand. One U.S dollar equals thirteen dollars and sixty-eight cents in South Africa. A giant portion of their money comes from the export of minerals and metals. Usually, whites earn more than black South Africans. To get to work, people might take the train, they might walk, or take minibuses which they call combies. Although, a quarter of the population is unemployed. Work is very important to how you have a living.

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The biggest exports in South Africa are diamonds, gold, metal, minerals, and coal. All of these items are very important to how South Africa gets money. Some of the places they trade with are Germany, United States, China, Japan, U.K, and Spain. Imports include machinery, transportation equipment, chemicals, manufactured goods, and petroleum.

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Two basic laws in South Africa are the Customary Law, and the Constitutional Law. The Customary Law is based on historical culture and tribal traditions. It is about the way of life and wants from the people. The Constitutional law is supposed to have more power for when there is a problem between the constitutional and customary law.  For the people’s rights, the Constitution grants freedoms. In South Africa, there are very high crime rates and to help fight crimes private security guards are employed. Some people criticise the government for wasteful spending and corruption. You do not have the freedom to criticise the government harshly and commit crimes. The South African laws and rights are pretty reasonable.

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South Africa's government is a parliamentary representative democratic republic. The national legislature has two houses. One of the houses has 90 members and it is called the National Council of Provinces. The second house has 400 seats and it is called the National Assembly. Everyone who is working in the houses has a five year term. The current leader of South Africa is Jacob Zuma. He is a politician and has served as the president since 2009. He is a part of the ANC (African National Congress), to fight racism. It is important to fight racism because everyone deserves equal rights. South Africa has a pretty fair government that is good for many people.