Lilungu losapho lweelwimi zesiNguni, oluyinxalenye yosapho lweelwimi zesiBantu kusapho lweelwimi lwaseNiger-Congo, kwaye luhlobene ngokusondeleyo nesiZulu, isiSwati nesiNdebele.
Ulwimi lwesiXhosa lolunye lweelwimi ezisemthethweni eMzantsi Afrika, kwaye luthethwa ngabantu abamalunga ne-7.6 yezigidi njengolwimi lweenkobe ngamaXhosa, abenza i-18% yabemi boMzantsi Afrika. Lulwimi olusemthethweni eMzantsi Afrika naseZimbabwe, kwaye abantu abathetha olu lwimi ngabantu abantsundu eMzantsi Afrika. Olu lwimi luhlelwa phakathi kweelwimi zesiBantu, kwaye lukwalulwimi lwethoni. Olu lwimi lusebenzisa ialfabhethi yesiLatini, yaye omnye wabantu abadumileyo abaluthethayo yinkokeli yangaphambili yaseMzantsi Afrika, uNelson Mandela.