Definition & Meaning of "skollie"in English

What does "skollie" mean in South African slang?

In South African slang, "skollie" refers to a petty criminal, thug, or someone involved in antisocial or delinquent behavior. It is used in informal South African English, often in a strongly negative or judgmental context, especially when describing street-level crime or habitual troublemakers. The term comes from Afrikaans "skollie," which itself is believed to have originated from older Dutch or Cape Coloured slang referring to a rascal or rogue. Over time it became a widely used South African term for someone engaged in minor criminal activity or seen as a habitual wrongdoer.