Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. an all-embracing term of approval, thus lekkerkry n., pleasure; as adv., to a great extent; (cit. 1985).

1834		‘Kaatje Kekkelbek or Life Among the Hottentots’ in D.C.F. Moodie (1888) II 556: DieTronk is een lekker plek / Of ’t was not joost dry, / But soon as I got out again, / At Todd’s I wet my eye.
1889		B. Mitford Fire Trumpet I 145: ‘Det is alte lekker’ (that’s awfully good), says old Van Rooyen.
1972		M. Cope ‘Morning with Bullet Hands’ in Spiral of Fire (1987) 41: No, it was lekker. Really.
1975		J. McClure Snake 117: Seems like you’ve been on a lekker trip also, hey Rex?
1977		D. Muller Whitey 14: ‘This Whitey is lekker psycho,’ the skolly said .
1981		A. Dangor ‘Shadow of Paradise’ in Waiting for Leila (2001) 136: You think I became a soetgirl for lekkerkry? I was hungry. I was barefoot.
1982		P. Slabolepszy Sat. Night at the Palace (1985) 71: I had her tonight, man [...] We took a quick jol outside, man. Under the stoep [...] She was a lekker jol, man.
1985		B. Simon ‘Outers’ Born in the RSA (1997) 39: They jumped a buddy of mine too. They moered him lekker and took his gold watch.
1986		P. Slabolepszy ‘Boo to the Moon’ in Mooi Street (1994) 103: Shame, hey? Just think a’ that. No one’s gonna check you in that lekker Sue Ellen outfit again.
1987		L. Beake Strollers 15: Ag, Man, dis mos lekker.
1989		B. Simon ‘Score Me the Ages’ Born in the RSA (1997) 141: Biltong is ook lekker. [...] How’s the nurses, are they lekker?
1990		J. Naidoo Coolie Location 79: You’re the only one amongst us who hasn’t got a bokkie. Veegee and I have found someone for you – a really nice girl, with lekker legs.
1996		CyberBraai Lex. at www.matriots.com 🌐 Lekker. An Afrikaans word meaning nice, this word is used by all language groups to express approval.
2002		Herald Online (S. Afr.) 10 Sept. 🌐 A lekker dictionary containing all bakgat South African words has hit the bookstores.
2008		A. Lovejoy ‘The Smell of Tears’ at www.acidalex.com 🌐 10: They are his cure for the AIDS he got in the mang after Cindy Cophen. Lekker.
2010		Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg) 8 Jan. 🌐 ‘Howzit’ — I use that word everyday, and the response should be ‘lekker, man’ or ‘cool by the pool’.

2. tipsy, slightly drunk.

1911

The State (S. Afr.) Sept. 243: In gaol for drunkeness [...] when only lekker or half-tipsy.