Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. of black workers, a novice, a greenhorn.

1899

G.H. Russell Under the Sjambok 29: Except for the ordinary Kafir mouchi, he wore no clothing, and I could see that he was a mompara.

2. a fool, an idiot, also used as a term of affection.

1930		S. Macdonald Susan Outside 240: He is very scornful of my poor Lancelot whom he refers to as ‘lo Mompara’ (the fool).
1933		J.T. Muirhead Ivory Poaching and Cannibals in Africa 37: [...] any mompara (fool) could follow their trail.
1950		R. McNab Towards the Sun: A Misc. of Southern Africa 188: You mompara, so you’ve been messing up the place all the time. I’ll kick you when you’re better and there’s a bit of room.
1989		J. Hobbs Thoughts in a Makeshift Mortuary 159: Don’t be such a mompara, Bra Jake.
2008		A. Lovejoy ‘The Smell of Tears’ at www.acidalex.com 🌐 3: Fokking momparras.