Africans is a short story by Sheila Kohler as part of the collection "One Girl: A Novel in Stories." Set in South Africa, apartheid and the segregation of black Africans serves as backdrop to the story. This is evident from the beginning, when the narrator states that her mother prefers Zulu servants, because they are hard workers and fiercely loyal. As the girls grow older, the mother dismisses all the servants except for John. In spite of the fact that John almost seems to act as a father figure to the girls, by telling them stories and teaching them to ride bikes, he never becomes a real member of the family. John and Katie have an especially close relationship. However, when Katie gets married, John is not present.

The separation between black and white Africans is foreshadowed by John's absence at the wedding, but takes...