South Africa’s national symbols | Soweto
Source: Department of Arts and Culture, South African Government Online
A country’s symbols – seal, motto, flag, anthem, coat of arms and natural symbols – tell its story and play a crucial role in building pride and a sense of belonging. South Africa’s national symbols are rich in heritage, and tell the stories of the country’s abundant natural and cultural diversity.
The Department of Arts and Culture is the custodian of all our national symbols and is tasked with educating all South Africans in their meaning and history, especially during the annual national Heritage Month, held during September.
In April 2012 the South African Post Office released a stamp set depicting all the national symbols. It can be purchased at post offices countrywide, or online through the virtual post office.
Decoding the coat of arms
A coat of arms of any country is the highest visual symbol of that country, and is part of the great seal, which confers absolute authority on all documents bearing it. South Africa’s new coat of arms was launched on Freedom Day, 27 April 2000, during former president Thabo Mbeki’s administration. It was created by designer Iaan Bekker and replaced the former coat of arms which had been in use since 1932.
The coat of arms is elegant and contemporary in design and distinctly egg-shaped. In the lower portion, known as the oval shape of foundation, the first element is the motto in a green curve, which is completed by two symmetrically placed pairs of elephant tusks pointing upwards. Within the oval shape formed by the tusks are two symmetrical ears of wheat symbolising fertility, which in turn frame a centrally placed gold shield, reminiscent of a drum.