South Africa is a diverse nation – caught between the east and the west, you can find influences from all hemispheres.  You’ll also find traces of bipolarity as you try to figure out whether we’re a first world country or a third world country.

Or both.

In many cases we’re a third world country.  We run on “Africa time” – and, as a visitor this will, in all likelihood, drive you crazy.  Our currency isn’t particularly strong.  Unemployment is “officially” at 25%.  Many South Africans live in shanty-towns (or ghettos) with no running water or electricity.  Our Gross National Income (per capita) is $2,751 per person.

In other instances, we’re a first world country.  We have running (drinkable) water and electricity and, contrary to popular belief there are no lions, elephants or tigers (remember, tigers are NOT native to Africa) roaming the streets.  We have broadband internet, albeit a little slow.  Our national road structure is well established (mind the potholes), we have some first-class universities and our technology is pretty impressive.

But what really makes South Africa a technologically advanced country?

It’s our secret traffic controlling weapon.  We have robots.  Not even Japan has robots controlling their traffic, but we do.

If you’re visiting South Africa for the first time (particularly during the 2010 Fifa World Cup) and a local gives you directions involving “robots” – i.e. “turn left at the first robot” – we at Earth Travel Unlimited want to make sure you know what you’re looking for.

Here it is, a South African robot:

South Africa traffic light robot

You might recognise it as a traffic light.  But, just to confuse you, we call them robots.

It’s just one of the things that makes South Africa unique.