This got our team thinking about some of the great South African design innovations that have been produced as a direct response to specific problems and not merely aesthetic desires. Besides the world's first heart transplant was performed by Dr Chris Barnard in Cape Town or being responsible for the theory behind the modern day Cat Scan, the selection below represents some of the ones that caught our eye.

Q-Drum: This little chap carries liquid, well rolls it. The idea of the Q Drum originated in response to the needs of rural people in developing countries who have a problem carrying adequate quantities of potable water from a reliable source. It is a durable, donut shaped plastic container which when full holds 50 litres of water. Its uniqueness lies in the design of the longitudinal shaft or central hole, through which a rope is tied, to pull or roll the drum along all terrain types

Hippo Roller: The 'Hippo Water Roller' is a classic example of design with SA conditions in mind. It was developed in South Africa in 1992 by engineers Pettie Petzer and Johan Jonker, and since 1998 has been manufactured and distributed by the locally based Imvubu Projects. The roller is intended for use by communities without access to tap water. It enables people to pull a 90-litre drum of water (instead of carrying it by hand) with a minimum of effort. This design has also extended its use to incorporate a Hippo Mobile Spaza. The vessels also offer protection from land mines, as tests have proven their ability to absorb the impact and heat generated by such a blast.The roller design was refined in 2008, in collaboration with Project H Design, for shipping efficiency resulting in a two-part "capsule" version of the iconic original and reducing shipping costs to remote areas.

Dolos: This unusually shaped concrete block weighing up to 20 tons is used to protect harbour walls from the force of the sea. Dolosse work by dissipating, rather than blocking, the energy of waves. It was designed by Eric Merrifield and first installed in East London harbour. Currently they are used all over the world.

Kreepy Krauly: you have got to love the name. Frightening children everywhere, the swimming pool vacuum cleaner was invented by Ferdinand Chauvier, a hydraulics engineer, 1951. In 1974 the first Kreepy Krauly was born in Chauvier's Springs home.

Ubuntu Project: This project aims to produce a high quality desktop and server operating system that is freely available all over the world. Founded by our very own spaceman, Mark Shuttleworth, in 2004. Spin-off projects include Edubuntu and Kubuntu. In his last year of university he launched Thawte which became the first company to produce a full-security encrypted e-commerce web server that was commercially available outside the United States.

Tellurometer: Before 1955, land surveying depended on time-consuming and complicated manual methods of distance measurement. Durbanite, Trevor Wadley revolutionised the world of map-making with his Tellurometer which could measure distances of up to 50km with an accuracy of millimetres. It was developed from radar techniques developed during World War II. Basically he made Google Earth work.

Playpump: This water system is a child merry-go-round attached to a water pump that provides clean drinking water and powerful educational messages to children and families in schools and communities in rural and peri-urban communities in Africa.  It basically uses the energy of children at play to operate a water pump. There has been criticism of the design using child labour and being too expensive, but we still love the idea.

Speedgun: Henri Johnson developed the technology that measures the speed and direction of tennis, cricket and golf balls during play. This innovative technology is used in tournaments around the world and provides fascinating insights into the playing techniques of famous sportspeople. Possibly responsible for police speed cameras as well, so only half a point to him.

The Joule: The zero-emission Joule is a six-seater multi-purpose vehicle designed by Cape Town-based Optimal Energy in association with legendary South African-born automotive designer Keith Helfet.

The Shark POD: (Protective Oceanic Device) was developed and marketed by the Natal Sharks Board. By producing an electromagnetic field, the POD irritated the ampullae of Lorenzini of a shark. The POD had proven itself successful in deterring sharks. It was a personal mobile protection unit for one person and could not replace shark nets that are used to protect whole beaches

Unfortunately it no longer exists. All instruments were withdrawn by co-inventor Norman Starkey before he disappeared to places unknown. A replacement model is the SharkShield.

Let us know if you got great designs to add, just leave a comment below.