Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(S.Afr.) general intensifying excl.; ‘I’m telling you’, ‘you know what I mean’ etc.

1977		C. Hope Ducktails in Gray Theatre Two (1981) 38: sooliman: Twenty-five shillings. jimmie: Don’t tune me skraal. Spot you a quid for it, ek se.
1987		M. Melamu Children of Twilight 91: Ek se, clever, who have you been writing to.
1998		‘Surfrikan Sl.’ on Wavescape.co.za 🌐 Ek se (‘Ek sair’) (I tell you) An affirmative phrase to add impact to what you are communicating. Used in a fascinating variety of contexts all over the country. ‘Let’s hit the jol ek se.’.
2002		Joke 1197 on Karel’s Cheese House 🌐 ‘Yo, Antie, ek se,’ wayving his moerofa rollie, ‘stick ’em up!’ he said, as two of his gatgabbas wheeled a 122mm howitzer out from behind some more barrels of stale wine and aimed it at where her legs meet.
2005		A. Lovejoy Acid Alex 564: Ekse my broer, we don’t wanna buy that watch, we wanna talk to your baas.