'stuffing around'? South African English?

[Jcyordenana]

Hi expats, an Argentine friend asked me recently if I knew the meaning of the expression 'stuffing around,' as in 'the company is stuffing around,' in a slangy business sense, I guess. This isn't anything I've ever heard in the US, but he was talking with someone in South Africa, so that's not strange.
Anyone familiar with South African English or heard this expression before?

My guess is that it means 'messing around,' not taking a proposal seriously or not doing anything to show they plan to commit to doing business...now I wonder if my friend might have misheard the expression and they really said 'shopping around'?

any ideas?

thanks
Julie

 

[AngelinBA]

Stuffing around (at least in New Zealand) is definitely 'messing around', not acting professionally, not answering or taking their time to get around to doing things. To be used in any situation instead of other stronger words like 'f***ing around', eg: 'stop stuffing around on the baexpts site and get your work done!'.
If you say 'they're stuffing me around', they're giving you the runaround.

 

[HowardinBA]

@ Julie,as a native Brit,I have never heard that expression