Asking a South African for Directions is a Whole Experience

Photo Credit: John Williams

This video has captured the uniquely South African way of giving directions, complete with roundabouts, robots and plenty of “right?”.

Australia (09 November 2026) – Asking a South African for directions is never quite as straightforward as it sounds, and one video doing the rounds online has captured exactly why.

Shared by John Williams, the clip features an Australian asking for the nearest service station, only to receive a very South African set of directions in return.

First, there’s the familiar “right?” popping up after almost every instruction. Then come the roundabouts, where you’re told which exit to take, followed by a few more turns and a distance measured in good old metres.

But perhaps the biggest giveaway is the terminology. What an Australian calls traffic lights, a South African knows as robots. And if you’re looking for a servo, you’ll probably have to ask for the nearest garage instead.

The directions are delivered with such confidence that you’d think getting lost was simply not an option.

It’s a funny reminder that even something as ordinary as asking for directions can come with its own local language. In South Africa, you just follow the road, turn left, find the robots and, whatever you do, don’t forget the “right?”