Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (also yung) a black servant.

1846		J.T. Arbousset Tour to the N.E. Colony of the Cape of Good Hope 235: Tied his jong, or young bushman slave, to the wheel of his wagon, where he was severely flogged.
1886		G.A. Farini Through the Kalahari Desert 279: These slaves were called yungs or ‘boys’.

2. an informal mode of address, irrespective of sex.

1834		‘Kaatje Kekkelbek or Life Among the Hottentots’ in D.C.F. Moodie Hist. of the Battles and Adventures of the British, the Boers, and the Zulus II 555: Ja, jong.
1911		East Province Herald 25 Nov. 5: We [...] held sweet converse with diverse Kerels, to who we were ‘man’ and ‘jong’ [DSAE].
1939		S. Cloete Watch for Dawn 65: Where is your whip, jong? [DSAE].
1947		H.C. Bosman Mafeking Road (1969) 149: ‘Yes, jong’ he said.
1958		A. Fugard No-Good Friday (1993) 24: harry: Lot of dumb bastards. Come on, beetal jong! shark: Don’t be so vulgar, Harry. [Ibid.] 25: tobias: Give what? harry: Vyf bob, five shillings. Betaal, jong!
1962		A. La Guma Walk in the Night (1968) 80: ‘Stand still, jong,’ Raalt shouted.
1977		J. Sikakane Window on Soweto 26: When pouncing on his victim the policeman will say ‘Hy’ta, pass jong’ – meaning ‘Hey, pass, man’.
1982		P. Slabolepszy Sat. Night at the Palace (1985) 29: Come right, jong!
1990		J. Naidoo Coolie Location 153: She’s a really civilized chick. You know, no fuckings, no blerrys, no voetseks, no bliksems, no hey jongs, no pas ops – none of that shit comes out of her mouth.
2006		C. Miller Salt and Honey 76 : Ja, jong, Kaffir, don’t you worry.

3. a derog. term for a black man.

1912		East London Dispatch (S.Afr.) 13 Feb. 3: A couple of jongs came along with dainty cigarettes in their mouths.
1920		S. Black Dorp 222: Some of the Nationalist ‘jongs’ annoyed him [DSAE].
1947		A. Delius Young Traveller in S. Afr. 100: Outa and Aia were general names for more elderly coloured men and women respectively, Jong and Meid for younger coloured people, and Klonkie and Klimmeid for little coloured boys and girls.
1948		O. Walker Kaffirs are Lively 69: Natives are mostly referred to as [...] ‘jong’ – youngster.
1959		J.M. Meiring Candle in the Wind 133: ‘Pas op, jong’ the prison guard said.
1960		D. Lytton Goddam White Man 191: The white man stands in front of me barring the road. ‘No further, jong’ he says.
1963		B. Modisane Blame me on Hist. 24: Two white police constables [...] were demanding to see the Passes of all adult African males. ‘Pass jong, kaffir.’.
1975		S.S. Mekgoe Lindiwe (2001) I i: Pass, jong!

4. a boyfriend.

1973

M. Dikobe Marabi Dance 103: He was my jong. I have a child by him.