In
South African speech, this word (no, I won't say or even write it) corresponds roughly to the
American use of the word
Nigger, but is even more
derogatory.
The ironic thing is that the derivation of the word is from a Moslem word meaning unbeliever, one who does not follow Islam, and thereby came to mean an African from the South end of Africa, so technically most white South Africans are.
South Africans with any taste do not use the word anymore. It should be a relic of a thankfully bygone era.
Note: this word is still an atomic bomb of profanity. The South African constitution protects free speech, with a few exceptions such as racial hate speech, which this word could easily fall under.