Funny signs spotted in South Africa

Desiree Haakonsen, 7 March 2014

Reading time: 3 minutes

It’s easy to get lost in translation when you live in a country with 11 official languages. That’s what makes funny sign spotting in South Africa a close second to wildlife spotting. We recently stumbled across the Africa, this is why I live here Facebook page where you’ll find collections of hilarious photos submitted from across Africa. Here are some of our favourite “LOST IN TRANSLATION” signs from South Africa:

Grass. The national treasure of Nakop.

Photo by Marthie Grobler

Awkward!

Photo by Amz Riley

Flashing is on another level in Mpumalanga.

Photo by Anthony Benadie

Photo by Niki Hayley-Hughes

Enjoy freshly baked goodies with a side of no nonsense at Olympia Café.

Photo by Dean Finnie

Finally, a day care just for parents!

Anonymous

PE locals are outraged at the rise in monkey business.

Anonymous

We’re surprised this guy is even standing.

Photo by Nikki Hayley-Hughes

There’s a limit to how well you should know your hosts!

Photo by Elma Hunter

Here’s hoping no accidents were caused by the temporary renaming of Diepsloot.

Photo featured in SA Promo Magazine

The idiot-proof guide to trading hours.

Anonymous

Beware the gatvol residents of Velddrift on the West Coast.

Photo by Roads to Roam

Proudly South African chicken! Available now in Saldanha.

Photo by Roads to Roam

We know what this guy’s after!

Photo by Jacky Wolff Tunstead

Either he’s talking about his wife or the Zimbabwe prisons are turning into a zoo.

Photo by Marianne Klint Taylor

You’ll be forgiven for thinking this sign belongs in Grahamstown. It actually appears next to a shebeen on the main road near Hoedspruit.

Photo by Dianne Haytread

This butchery must be near a shebeen too!

Photo by Hildegard Nuhs Copeland

“Money sack” has a different meaning in these parts.

Anonymous

Durban gets a little too laid back.

Photo by Marcus DeWaal

We have no idea what they are selling, but chicken dust sounds scary.

Photo by Gary Pohl

We love the way this guy works with what he’s got. He even throws in pronunciation free of charge!

Photo by Wiseman Sbusiso

Moertoegepomp! Or as we say in English, “this windmill has sadly reached the end of its days after years of working hard, constantly pumping water from the very depths of the earth.”