kitskonstabel

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

A newly deputized constable in the South African police during the last days of apartheid; they were noted for their zealousness and lack of procedure. Their official name was special policeman.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

During 1987 sixteen kitskonstabels were sent to Bhongolethu to police the area after their six weeks of training. The kitskonstabels proved to be a law unto themselves - between September 1987 and January 1988 less than six months, at least six activist were injured by kitskonstabels a remarkable se

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “kitskonstabel” mean?

A newly deputized constable in the South African police during the last days of apartheid; they were noted for their zealousness and lack of procedure. Their official name was special policeman.

Is “kitskonstabel” formal or informal?

kitskonstabel is generally slang.