--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In South Africa, it is different. When…" description: "\"In South Africa, it is different. When you are born not even your father knows what is going to happen in your life.\" — John Kani" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/john-kani-7300_born_in-south-africa-it-is-different-when-you_418602.jpg" --- # In South Africa, it is different. When you are born not… ![“In South Africa, it is different. When you are born not even your father knows what is going to happen in your life.” quote by John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/john-kani-7300_born_in-south-africa-it-is-different-when-you_418602.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/john-kani-7300_born_in-south-africa-it-is-different-when-you_418602.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/john-kani-7300_born_in-south-africa-it-is-different-when-you_418602.jpg) > “In South Africa, it is different. When you are born not even your father knows what is going to happen in your life.” [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He notes that even a father cannot predict a child's future, emphasizing life's uncertainty. **In simple terms:** Life's path is unknown even to parents. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty, stay flexible. Themes uncertainty family future Mood thoughtful hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - parenting - career planning - personal growth - cultural context Key Concepts destiny agency Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance guidance with openness? - What role does fate play in personal decisions? A Different Perspective Overplanning can lead to disappointment when outcomes differ. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Africa Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/africa-different-3196635/) [Born](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/born/) [Born Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/born-father-384883/) [Different Born](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-born-1044140/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Father Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father-knows-312147/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [South africa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/south-africa/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [The preponderance of South Africa is a different breed of man. I mean that with no disrespect. I say that with great respect. 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Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [When I was born, my father was governor of Arkansas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-clinton/when-i-was-born-my-father-was-governor-of-arkansas/) [Chelsea Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-clinton/) > [“They had both been raised in complete isolation from the everyday world, with their own set of values and disciplines, not because they had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-traviss/they-had-both-been-raised-in-complete-isolation-from-the-everyday/) [Karen Traviss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-traviss/) > [These young people naturally grow up with ideas different from ours, for they are born for times when we shall no longer be here](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/these-young-people-naturally-grow-up-with-ideas-different-from-ours/) [Emile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) > [I didn't see how wearing prosthetics was quite so different from being born with flaming red hair in a crowd of black-haired babies, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/i-didn-t-see-how-wearing-prosthetics-was-quite-so-different-from/) [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) > [Not everyone in the world is alike. 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My father and mother have closed the factory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pel/people-always-ask-me-when-is-the-new-pele-going-to-be-born-never-my/) [Pele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pel/) > [My daughter has always had a strong sense of her own identity. From the day she was born her father and I were in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-eclair/my-daughter-has-always-had-a-strong-sense-of-her-own-identity-from/) [Jenny Eclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-eclair/) > [I'm born to be a father. And I've been looking forward to this all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heath-ledger/i-m-born-to-be-a-father-and-i-ve-been-looking-forward-to-this-all-my/) [Heath Ledger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heath-ledger/) > [ When my brother, Todd \[Fisher\], was born my father was already with Elizabeth \[Taylor\]. I was 19 or 20 when I first spent a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/when-my-brother-todd-fisher-was-born-my-father-was-already-with/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [ Before I was born \[my father\] wanted me to go specifically to Yale, which he thought would help. It was easy for him to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-trillin/before-i-was-born-my-father-wanted-me-to-go-specifically-to-yale/) [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) ## More by John Kani > [All over the world, there is someone sitting in a cell because he or she is not allowed freedom of expression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/all-over-the-world-there-is-someone-sitting-in-a-cell-because-he-or/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [I'm Dad at home, not John Kani.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/i-m-dad-at-home-not-john-kani/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [I always say my first break was a dead man's break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/i-always-say-my-first-break-was-a-dead-man-s-break/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [I still remember the moment when my teacher, Mr. Budaza, walked into class and said, 'Today we are going to study 'Julius Caesar,' one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/i-still-remember-the-moment-when-my-teacher-mr-budaza-walked-into/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [I have never been attracted to television work. 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They all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/in-australia-i-almost-became-a-counsellor-at-the-end-of-each/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [What does Macbeth want? What does Shakespeare want? What does Othello want? What does James want? What does Arthur Miller want when he wrote?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/what-does-macbeth-want-what-does-shakespeare-want-what-does-othello/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [In 'Lion King,' the music is brilliant. The CGI is amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/in-lion-king-the-music-is-brilliant-the-cgi-is-amazing/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [Every time there is a movie that tells a South African story, it is done by someone who must be taught the right way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/every-time-there-is-a-movie-that-tells-a-south-african-story-it-is/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [I'd read Shakespeare in school, translated into isiXhosa, and loved the stories, but I hadn't realised before I started reading the English text how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/i-d-read-shakespeare-in-school-translated-into-isixhosa-and-loved-the/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [We are sort of not at the level of entertainment that the Western world is. Everything we see on the play in the screen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/we-are-sort-of-not-at-the-level-of-entertainment-that-the-western/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [We haven't got those dreams: 'I wish to become doctor or a lawyer.' Black people in South Africa have been barred in doing anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/we-haven-t-got-those-dreams-i-wish-to-become-doctor-or-a-lawyer-black/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [I had to look at white people as fellow South Africans and fellow partners in building a new South Africa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/i-had-to-look-at-white-people-as-fellow-south-africans-and-fellow/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) [Explore all 92 John Kani quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) ## More Born quotes > [My mother says I didn't open my eyes for eight days after I was born, but when I did, the first thing I saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-taylor/my-mother-says-i-didn-t-open-my-eyes-for-eight-days-after-i-was-born/) [Elizabeth Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-taylor/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [The real world out there isn't nearly as nice as some people prefer it to be, so don't swallow everything your high-born teachers tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-real-world-out-there-isn-t-nearly-as-nice-as-some-people-prefer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Anybody looking for a quiet life has picked the wrong century to born in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anybody-looking-for-a-quiet-life-has-picked-the-wrong-century-to-born/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was born and raised in Orlando, where the economy and culture has been powerfully shaped by tourism, and so I've long been interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-van-den-berg/i-was-born-and-raised-in-orlando-where-the-economy-and-culture-has/) [Laura van den Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-van-den-berg/) > [I know that in the rap game you've got a lot of people, that come from poverty, was born in poverty and if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-connor/i-know-that-in-the-rap-game-you-ve-got-a-lot-of-people-that-come-from/) [Jon Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-connor/) > [Nothing old is ever reborn but neither does it totally disappear. 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I have a relative who is also gay. We can't help it if they were born that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-pacquiao/i-m-not-against-gay-people-i-have-a-relative-who-is-also-gay-we-can-t/) [Manny Pacquiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-pacquiao/) > [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [For the glory born of Goodness Never dies, And its flag is not half-masted In the skies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/for-the-glory-born-of-goodness-never-dies-and-its-flag-is-not-half/) [Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/) > [There are two kinds of beauty; there is a beauty which God gives at birth, and which withers as a flower. 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