stokvel, noun

/ˈstɒkfel//ˈstɔkfel/
Forms:
stockfel, stockfeleShow more Also stockfel, stockfele, stockfell, stockvel, stockveld, stokfel, stokveld, stockvelt.
Origin:
South African EnglishShow more Adaptation of South African English stockfair; see quotation 1990 (sense 1) and quotation 1962 (sense 2). It appears that the Africanized pronunciation of stock-fair, /(i)stɔkfeːle/, resulted in the modern spelling because of a misconception that the word’s origins lay in Afrikaans.
Especially in township English: In all senses also called stock-fair (sense 2), stokkie noun1.
1. a. A savings or investment society to which members regularly contribute an agreed amount, receiving a lump-sum payment either in turn, or in times of need. b. A similar society formed to share the cost of holding regular parties which at the same time generate profits for the hosts. c. Collectively, the members of such societies. Also attributive.
1946 P. Abrahams Mine Boy (1954) 74‘Who were those women’? Xuma asked...‘They are the Stockvelt. They are all women who sell beer. And if one is arrested they all come together and collect money among themselves and bail out the arrested one.’
1951 Drum Nov. 10A contributory factor to the success of these hooch merchants are the stockfel parties, parties when the guests pay for the liquor.
1954 P. Abrahams Tell Freedom 118Stockveld is the trade union of the women who deal in illicit liquor. Each pays a weekly contribution. The total amount thus collected is given to a different member each week.
1959 L. Longmore Dispossessed 183There are other groups capable of organizing intimate personal relations and controlling individual behaviour, among these..tsotsi gangs, stockfels, manyano societies, separatist sects and such like.
1962 M. Brandel-Syrier Black Woman 17The ‘Stockfel’ type of organization..is a form of organized mutual assistance based on the rule of reciprocity. The origin of the word ‘Stockfel’ is unknown, but this form of organization occurs in many variations, and under a great many different names; also amongst men, but the women form the main membership.
1962 M. Brandel-Syrier Black Woman 78The name Stockfel has become associated with things ‘primitive’ and ‘backward’ and ‘drink and all that’.
1973 The 1820 Vol.46 No.6, 19In Stokvel much of the success depends not only on the flow of liquids and food, but also the liquidity of money...In contrast to the ‘Tiekie-Line’ parties which attract predominantly female ‘followers’, ‘Big-Time’ Stokvel has a special lure for males...The amount spent by members at any one party must be reciprocated by the host as the Stokvel gatherings rotate.
1981 Voice Aug. (Reader) 5They decided to use the Stokvel way to buy their machines. Every month they each put in R20,00. This made R80,00. One of them bought a machine...Each person had a turn...The Stokvel way is better than the Lay-by way.
1989 M. Brand in Fair Lady 25 Oct. 92Stokvels, party syndicates that organise township jols.
1990 A.K. Lukhele Stokvels in S. Afr. 4The term ‘stokvel’ comes from the rotating cattle auctions or ‘stock-fairs’ of English settlers in the Eastern Cape during the early nineteenth century. Black farmers and labourers who attended these stock-fairs exchanged ideas and gambled whatever resources they had...The discovery of the Main Reef triggered a gold rush...Some of the Cape blacks brought the stokvel concept with them.
1991 T. wa Molakeng in Weekly Mail 28 Mar. 15The concept of the stokvel, an informal savings scheme, is as old as the urbanisation of the black population...There are more than 800,000 stokvel groups in the country, says Lukhele, president of the National Stokvel Association of South Africa.
1991 Sunday Times 26 May (Business Times) 1The money will be lent at a fixed interest rate repayable over five years. The loan will be secured by the ‘stokfel system’ — individuals contribute to a group deposit.
1991 Sunday Times 22 Sept. 19Avoid the financial stress of paying for your own parties by joining a stokvel. Groups of buddies contribute to a monthly fund — proceeds of which are handed to the stokvel host of the day.
1992 Tribute Feb. (advt)Helping each other. Such an important part of belonging to a burial society, savings club or stokvel.
1993 Financial Mail 23 Apr. 63Stokvels, the traditional savings outlets for the underprivileged, still have many supporters — indeed, formal financial institutions encourage the stokvels.
2. A social gathering or party, held at each stokvel member’s home in turn. Also attributive.
1962 A.M. Louw 20 Days 100Tonight we will have our stockfele — stockfair, beer drinker’s meeting — in peace.
1977 P.C. Venter Soweto 184A Stokvel was a dance session which started on a Friday in the townships and ended on the Sunday afternoon.
1977 M. Mzamane in New Classic No.4, 26It is possible to have..an inspired wake or Zionist service throughout the night, next-door left; and a rowdy stockvel-cum-gumbagumba, next-door right.
1979 A.P. Brink Dry White Season 252Why don’t you come with me this Friday, then we’ll have a solid stokvel right through to Sunday night...It’s a party, lanie.., the sort where you dance non-stop till you pass out.
1982 Pace Apr. 15We have had a problem of gigs and ‘stockfels’ going on in the township, where these youngsters drink for the whole weekend, sometimes the whole week.
1987 Learn & Teach No.2, 7There were stokvels every weekend. Sometimes the police raided and people who made ‘umqombothi’ were arrested.
1988 B. Ntlemo in Frontline Apr.–May 8He enjoyed the company of women with whom he could go to stokvels or casinos.
A savings or investment society to which members regularly contribute an agreed amount, receiving a lump-sum payment either in turn, or in times of need.
A similar society formed to share the cost of holding regular parties which at the same time generate profits for the hosts.
Collectively, the members of such societies. Also attributive.
A social gathering or party, held at each stokvel member’s home in turn. Also attributive.
Derivatives:
Hence stokveler  noun [English agential suffix -er], a member of a stokvel.
1989 Weekly Mail 27 Oct. 26The stokvelers changed from talking to singing.
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19461993

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stokveler

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stokkie, nounn.2stokvis, nounn.
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