Government

The President

Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma

President of the ANC
Deputy President of the ANC (from 1997-2007)
Member of ANC NWC, NEC
Former Deputy President in the South African Government (1999-2005)
President of the South African Government

Jacob Zuma was born on 12 April 1942 in Inkandla, KwaZulu-Natal Province.His father died at the end of World War II, after which his mother took up employment as a domestic worker in Durban.
He spent his childhood moving between Zululand and the suburbs of Durban, and by age 15 took on odd jobs to supplement his mother's income.
Owing to his deprived childhood, Jacob Zuma did not receive any formal schooling.
Heavily influenced by a trade unionist family member, he became involved in politics at an early age and joined the African National Congress in 1959.
He became an active member of Umkhonto We Sizwe in 1962, following the banning of the ANC in 1960. While on his way out of the country in 1963, he was arrested with a group of 45 recruits near Zeerust in what was then the western Transvaal (now the Northern West Province).
Convicted of conspiring to overthrow the government, he was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, which he served on Robben Island. After his release, Jacob Zuma helped mobilise internal resistance and was instrumental in the re-establishment of ANC underground structures in the then Natal province, (KwaZulu-Natal) between 1973 and 1975.
He left South Africa in 1975 and for the next 12 years, based first in Swaziland and then Mozambique, dealt with thousands of young exiles who poured out of South Africa in the wake of the Soweto uprising. He lived in several African countries working for the ANC, where he rose rapidly through the ranks to become a member of the ANC National Executive Committee in 1977.
He also served as Deputy Chief Representative of the ANC in Mozambique, a post he occupied until the signing of the Nkomati Accord between the Mozambican and South African governments in 1984.
After signing the Accord, he was appointed as Chief Representative of the ANC and was one of a few who remained in Mozambique to carry out the work of the organisation, crossing in and out of South Africa on a number of occasions.
Jacob Zuma was forced to leave Mozambique in January 1987 after considerable pressure on the Mozambican government by the PW Botha regime.
He moved to the ANC Head Office in Lusaka, Zambia, where he was appointed Head of Underground Structures and shortly thereafter Chief of the Intelligence Department. He served on the ANC's political and military council when it was formed in the mid-80s.
Following the unbanning of the ANC in February 1990, he was one of the first ANC leaders to return to South Africa to begin the process of negotiations, and was instrumental in organising the Groote Schuur Minute between the FW de Klerk regime and the ANC that reached important decisions about the return of exiles and the release of political prisoners. In 1990, at the first Regional Congress of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), he was elected Chairperson of the Southern Natal region and took a leading role in fighting violence in the region. This resulted in a number of Peace Accords involving the ANC and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) In 1991, at the first ANC National Conference held in South Africa after the unbanning of the organisation, he was elected the Deputy Secretary General of the ANC. In January 1994, he was nominated as the ANC candidate for the Premiership of the KZN province.
He is generally regarded as the person most instrumental in achieving the peace that is now enjoyed by the people of KZN and in October 1998 he was honoured with the Nelson Mandela Award for Outstanding Leadership in Washington DC, USA. After the first national democratic elections in South Africa in 1994, Jacob Zuma was appointed as Member of the Executive Committee (MEC) of Economic Affairs and Tourism for the KZN provincial government. He is also a patron of the KZN Reconstruction and Development Project (RDP) Bursary Fund, which is linked to the RDP section of the Department of Economic Affairs and Tourism.
He established this bursary fund, using funds that each cabinet member of the KZN province was given to use on any project of their choice.
Owing to his rural background and empathy for the poorest of the poor, he decided to use his allocation to help educate poor people in rural areas by establishing the bursary fund. The fund focuses mainly on primary school children in the rural areas but has, from 1999, started assisting students at tertiary institutions.
There is currently in excess of 1,000 pupils being assisted at primary level and 10 at tertiary institutions. In December 1994, Jacob Zuma was elected National Chairperson of the ANC and chairperson of the ANC in KZN.
He was re-elected to the latter position in 1996. He was elected Deputy President of the ANC at the National Conference held at Mafikeng in December 1997.
Jacob Zuma was appointed Executive Deputy President of South Africa in June 1999. Jacob Zuma was elected President of the ANC at the National Conference held at Polokwane in December 2007.

He was elected President of the Republic of South Africa on 6 May 2009. He was inaugurated at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on 9 May 2009.

Profile of Jacob Zuma

Personal Date of birth: 12 April 1942, Inkandla, KwaZulu-Natal. Current Positions

President of the Republic of South Africa since 9 May 2009.

President of the African National Congress (ANC) since 20 December 2007.

Career/Memberships/Positions/Other Activities
Influenced by a family member who was a trade unionist, he became involved in Politics at an early age.
Joined the African National Congress (ANC) in 1958 and Became an active member of Umkhonto we Sizwe (1962).
Whilst on his way out of the country, he was arrested with a group of 52 recruits near Zeerust in North West Province (1963). Convicted of conspiring to overthrow the government, he was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment on Robben Island (1963).
After his release in December 1973, he worked to mobilise internal resistance and was instrumental in the re-establishment of ANC underground structures in the then Natal, now KwaZulu-Natal (1974 - 1975).
Left South Africa in 1975 and for the next 12 years was based first in Swaziland and then Mozambique. He was involved in underground work with others, giving leadership to the ANC structures operating inside South Africa.
He also dealt with the thousands of young exiles that poured out of South Africa in the wake of the Soweto uprising in June 1976.
Lived in several African countries working for the ANC and rose rapidly through the ranks to become a member of the National Executice Committee (NEC) of the ANC (1977). Served as Deputy Chief Representative and later Chief Representative of the ANC in Mozambique until 1984, the year of the signing of the Nkomati Accord between the Mozambican and South African governments.
Served on the ANC's Military Committee and Political Committee when formed in the mid 80's. Appointed Head of the Underground Structures and shortly thereafter, Chief of Intelligence at the ANC Head Office in Lusaka, Zambia (1987).
He was one of the first ANC leaders to return to South Africa to begin the process of negotiation, following the unbanning of the ANC (1990).
Instrumental in organising the Groote-Schuur Minute between the FW de Klerk Government and the ANC that reached important decisions about the return of exiles and the release of political prisoners (1990).
Elected Chairperson of the Southern Natal and took a leading role in fighting violence in the region, this resulted in a number of Peace Accords involving the ANC and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) (1990).

Elected the Deputy Secretary-General of the ANC during the National Conference held in South Africa after the unbanning of the organisation in 1991.

Deployed in KwaZulu-Natal because he felt that he had a role to play in bringing about peace and stability in the then highly volatile region (1994).

Nominated as the ANC candidate for the Premiership of the KZN Province (1994).

His strategic thinking and conflict resolution skills played a pivotal role in ending conflict in KwaZulu Natal and the then PWV region, where state-sponsored violence was tearing communities apart.

Appointed Member of the Executive Committee (MEC) of Economic Affairs and Tourism for the KZN Provincial Government (1994).

As MEC, he worked hard to develop the tourism industry in the province. He created a good working relationship between business, labour, and worked tirelessly to facilitate new investments in the KwaZulu Natal economy.

Elected National Chairperson of the ANC and Chairperson of the ANC in KZN (December 1994).

Executive Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa (17 June 1999 - 22 June 2005).

Leader of Government Business in the National Assembly (June 1997).

Started the process of promoting positive values through the launch of the Moral Regeneration Movement.

Deputy President of the ANC (December 1997).

Chairperson of the South African National Aids Council.

Chancellor at the University of Zululand.

Patron of the Jacob Zuma Bursary Fund (1998).

Patron of the Peace and Reconstruction Foundation.

Patron of Albert Luthuli Education and Development Foundation.

Played an important role as mediator and facilitator of peace on the continent especilly in Bulundi and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Awards/Decorations/Bursaries

Honoured with the Nelson Mandela Award for Outstanding Leadership in Washington DC, US. (1998)

Received an Honorary Doctorate of Literature from the University of Fort Hare (2001)

Received an Honorary Doctorate of Administration from the University of Zululand (2001)

Received an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy from Medical University of Southern Africa (2001)

Source: The Presidency

Africa is open for business! It is open for trade and investment!

Address by His Excellency President Zuma to G20 business leaders on partnering with Africa''s dynamic markets; Toronto Canada
24 June 2010
Stephen Hayes, President and CEO of the Corporate Council on Africa;
Lucien Bradet, President and CEO of the Canadian Council on Africa;
Leadership of the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry;
Leadership of Business Unity South Africa;
Esteemed guests and delegates:
It is a great pleasure to have the honour of speaking at this event.
This gathering comes at a really significant moment in Africa’s economic history.
The world is finally beginning to move beyond the myths about Africa.
For that reason, it is important for the political and business leadership of the continent and the world to interact regularly, to prevent misconceptions.
We therefore value this meeting.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Africa offers a huge market of one billion people and provides enormous economic potential.
Sub-Saharan Africa is the third fastest growing region in the world, after China and India.
There is every expectation that Africa’s current pace of growth will remain at a high level, at around six percent per year.
As Africa we bring to the G8 and G20 Summit the key message that we must, together as the developing and developed worlds, promote stronger and more effective international partnerships for growth and development.
If we are serious about this challenge we need to ensure that sufficient time and attention is given to Africa in these summits.
We will be emphasising that Africa is open to meaningful partnerships and engagement towards ensuring sustainable development, and to meet the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.
We underscore as well that our markets are open for trade and investments.
Africa must now not be viewed as only a destination for development aid.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We meet as the world recovers from the global economic crisis which caused devastation in many national economies.
Africa surprised many as it fared better than most regions and registered growth.
The average growth last year for the advanced economies was about minus two-and-a-half percent, while that of Africa was two percent.
Low income countries in Africa grew at over three percent.
In South Africa, we are fortunate that we have been able to counteract the economic slowdown and its adverse effects.
This is thanks to good policies and regulations, business rescue programmes, job retention schemes and huge infrastructure programmes.
Our economy registered five percent growth in the first quarter of the year.
Like Canada, South Africa’s banks were protected against the financial crisis by good regulation and good practice by policy makers and our private sector.
There are many reasons why Africa was not as devastated.
At the political level, there is no doubt that accountability and political freedom have improved enormously in the continent since the end of the Cold War.
There have been significant improvements in the four African Union Peer Review Mechanism pillars: democracy and political governance, economic management, corporate governance, and socio-economic development.
The index of political freedom prepared by the think-tank Freedom House, shows that while less than a third of African countries were classified as free or partly free in 1990, today about two thirds of African countries are considered free or partly free.
The Kennedy School Index of Good Governance shows that governance in 38 African countries has improved since 2000.
There is also marked improvement in peace and security in the continent.
The African Union has declared 2010 as the Year of Peace and Security. Progress has been made with regards to the Peace and Security Council, an African Standby Force, and a Panel of the Wise responsible for mediation and preventive diplomacy.
The G8 Africa Action Plan of 2002, which makes certain commitments to supporting peace and security in Africa, needs to be pursued vigorously.
This includes support for African efforts to resolve the principal armed conflicts on the continent.
The G8 countries had also committed to assist with disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration.
They undertook to provide technical and financial assistance to support peacekeeping operations.
Economically, Africa performed better because of improved economic policies, good prices for commodities and rising domestic consumption.
You will recall also, Ladies and Gentlemen, that at the London G20 summit, world leaders made provision for special measures to assist developing countries.
IMF funds were topped up, the regional development banks were recapitalised, and the World Bank made emergency trade credits available.
No doubt these measures also helped.
What we have achieved is a real African rebirth in the true sense of the word.
This should make African markets attractive to development partners in the North and the emerging South, including the international private sector.
The environment is being created for economic growth and development.
Of course there is much more to do in terms of economic reform, and the development of infrastructure and social services in Africa.
I doubt that many will disagree, though, that we know better and agree more than before on what we still have to do in Africa.
This understanding is what informs the New Partnership for Africa’s Development – NEPAD – which provides a practical programme for the economic development of the continent.
It envisages Africans working together to advance our common economic progress.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We reiterate that Africa is open for business.
It is open for trade and investment.
The biggest development in Africa’s economic relationships in recent times has been the increasing role of countries of the South in our trade and investment links.
Nevertheless, the advanced economies of the North remain very important to the continent.
They provide us with mature markets, helpful networks, innovative technologies, and an important source of foreign direct investment.
However, the African continent also calls for fair trade.
Our movement forward will be greatly enhanced by the speeding up of economic reforms to enable more inclusive and faster growth.
It is our strong view that the United Nations and its member states must play a role in the ongoing international discussion on reforming and strengthening the international financial and economic system.
We also support the move to a more open, transparent and merit-based approach to choose the heads of the World Bank and the IMF.
When we raise these issues, we should not create the impression that we have come cap-in-hand to ask for favours.
The developing world has an equal right to direct the work of these institutions.
We need to prioritise the completion of the Doha Development Round.
This will ensure that the developing countries have favourable access to markets in the developed world without restrictive conditions.
Africa has strong potential on raw commodities and this will be the mainstay of our economies in the foreseeable future and for many years to come.
It is therefore crucial that we harness and optimise these resources in a global community where there are limited trade barriers and protectionist policies.
These are some of the measures we will keep pushing for.
It is imperative that we achieve a just international financial and economic order.
We will continue to do our bit as a continent to formulate policies that will create the right investment environment, and we will continue to improve on good governance.
The African Union is unambiguous on the need to achieve these goals.
Other goals include our ambitious strategic infrastructure programmes which link countries in the regions, and the creation of functional Regional Economic Communities in the continent.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Our continent will also benefit from adequately developed human resources.
It is therefore vital that the North makes favourable contributions towards improved Human Development Indicators in this continent.
In this regard, work towards achieving the MDGs cannot be over-emphasised.
I am aware that you share these concerns and goals as business people as well.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As you are aware, we left South Africa in the grip of a massive football fever.
There have been ongoing street parties since the launch of the 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament on the 11th of June.
We are happy that everything has gone so well since the start of the tournament.
Football has proven once again its power to unite people and to unite the world.
Africa can host events of this magnitude and we are proving Afro-pessimists wrong.
We are truly proud to be hosting the tournament on behalf of Africa.
South Africa has invested a lot in the World Cup tournament and this is yielding economic benefits.
Preparations for the World Cup in recent years have boosted the level of our GDP already.
Additional spending by World Cup visitors and residents should boost economic growth this year alone by at least zero point three percentage points.
The marketing benefits, including tourism spin offs, will no doubt be felt for many years to come.
The benefits in terms of building unity and social cohesion in the country cannot be quantified.
South Africa will never be the same again.
We have to build on the gains and ensure that we do not lose the momentum.
Most importantly, we succeeded in laying out and improving the necessary infrastructure, such as stadia, airports and roads, and the necessary services, on time.
We are confident that this massive infrastructure investment will prove to be a good pull factor for you as you consider your next investment destination in Africa.
More than the infrastructure that our future generations will inherit, we remain hopeful that the various skills that our people acquired since we started working on this FIFA World Cup project, will prove useful going forward.
In addition to the economic benefits, we want to see the lasting legacy of education for the African continent.
South Africa is hosting a high level Education Summit to promote the 1 Goal Education for All Campaign.
World leaders will be asked to dedicate themselves to ensuring that every child is in school by the next FIFA World Cup tournament in Brazil in 2014.
This is one of the most important legacies of the World Cup in Africa.
We do not expect a slowdown in the aftermath of the World Cup.
There is so much still to do. There are houses to build, schools and hospitals to improve.
We will also continue to focus on our top priorities such as creating decent jobs, improving education, health care and rural development, as well as the fight against crime.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Canada has long been a good friend to democracy and growth in Africa.
We celebrate this relationship today, with the wish that it will proceed to greater heights.
We look forward to a productive engagement over the next few days.
As Africans we are ready as always to work with development partners from other regions, to build a better Africa and a better world.
May I use this opportunity to urge you to visit South Africa before the end of the World Cup.
You cannot afford to miss the vibrancy of the first World Cup competition on African soil!
I thank you.

National Symbols

The Springbok - National animal

The Springbok (Afrikaans: spring = jump; bok = antelope, deer, or goat) (Antidorcas marsupialis) is a small brown and white gazelle that stands about 75 cm high. The males can weigh up to 50 kg and the females up to 37 kg.
The Latin name marsupialis derives from a pocket-like skin flap which extends along the middle of the back on to the tail.
The springbok can lift this flap, which makes the white hairs underneath stand up in a conspicuous 'fan'. Typical of this species is the pronk (jumping display), which led to its common name.
Both sexes have horns but those of the ram are thicker and rougher.
This species has adapted to the dry, barren areas and open grass plains and is thus found especially in the Free State, North West province and in the Karoo up to the west coast of South Africa.
They are herd animals and move in small herds during winter, but often crowd together in bigger herds in summer.
They eat both grass and leaves and can go without drinking-water, because they get enough moisture from the succulent leaves. Where drinking-water is available they will use it.
The springbok was a national symbol of South Africa under white minority rule (including a significant period prior to the establishment of Apartheid).
It was adopted as a nickname or mascot by a number of South African sports teams, most famously by the national rugby team. It appeared on the emblems of the South African Air Force, the logo of South African Airways (for which it remains their radio callsign) and the Coat of Arms of South Africa. It also featured as the logo of 'South Africa's Own Car', the Ranger, in the early 1970s.
The Springbok remains the national animal of South Africa. After the demise of apartheid, the ANC government decreed that South African sporting teams were to be known as the Proteas, however, the rugby team still maintain the name Springboks after the intervention of then-president Nelson Mandela, who did so as a gesture of goodwill to the mainly white (and largely Afrikaner) rugby supporters.

The Blue Crane- National bird

The Blue Crane (Anthropoides paradisea), also known as the Stanley Crane and the Paradise Crane, is a tall, ground-dwelling bird of the crane family which stands a little over a metre high and is pale blue-gray in colour with a white crown, a pink bill, and long, dark gray wingtip feathers which trail to the ground. It eats seeds, insects and reptiles.
Blue cranes lay their eggs in the bare veld, often close to water. They are quite common in the Karoo, but are also seen in the grasslands of KwaZulu-Natal and the highveld, usually in pairs or small family parties.
It likes wet parts and lays its eggs on the ground. It grazes in the field and eats seeds, insects and small reptiles. They are altitudinal migrants, generally nesting in the upper grasslands and moving down to lower altitudes for winter. Many occupy agricultural areas.
The blue crane has a distinctive rattling croak, fairly high-pitched at call, which can be heard from far away. It is, however, usually quiet. Of the 15 species of crane, the Blue Crane has the most restricted distribution of all. While it remains common in parts of its historic range, and between 10,000 and 20,000 birds remain, it began a sudden population decline from around 1980 and is now classified as critically endangered. In the last two decades, the Blue Crane has largely disappeared from the Eastern Cape, Lesotho, and Swaziland. The population in the northern Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and North West Province has declined by up to 90%.
The majority of the remaining population is in eastern and southern South Africa, with a small and separate population in the Etosha Pan of northern Namibia. Occasionally, isolated breeding pairs are found in five neighboring countries.
The primary causes of the sudden decline of the Blue Crane are human population growth, the conversion of grasslands into commercial tree plantations, and poisoning: deliberate (to protect crops) or accidental (baits intended for other species, and as a side-effect of crop dusting.
The South African government has stepped up legal protection for the Blue Crane. Other conservation measures are focusing on research, habitat management, education, and recruiting the help of private landowners.
The Blue Crane is a bird very special to the amaXhosa, who call it indwe. When a man distinguished himself by deeds of valour, or any form of meritorious conduct, he was often decorated by a chief by being presented with the feathers of this bird. After a battle, the chief would organise a ceremony called ukundzabela – a ceremony for the heroes, at which feathers would be presented. Men so honoured – they wore the feathers sticking out of their hair – were known as men of ugaba (trouble) - the implication being that if trouble arose, these men would reinstate peace and order.

King Protea - National flower

The King Protea, (Protea cynaroides), is a flowering plant. Its flower head (what the layman will call the 'flower') is the largest in the genus Protea: the species is also known as Giant Protea, Honeypot or King Sugar Bush.
It is widely distributed in the south-western and southern parts of South Africa of the fynbos region.
The artichoke-like appearance of the flower-heads of the king protea lead to the specific name ‘cynaroides’, which means ‘like cynara’ (the artichoke).
The name does not do justice to the beautiful flower-heads of this protea, which is the largest in the genus. A number of varieties in colour and leaf shapes are found, but the most beautiful is the pink coloured flower.

Real Yellowwood - National tree

The yellowwood family is primeval and has been present in South Africa for more than 100 million years.
The species is widespread and is found from Table Mountain, along the southern and eastern Cape coast, in the ravines of the Drakensberg up to the Soutpansberg and the Blouberg in Limpopo. In forests, they can grow up to 40 metres in height with the base of the trunk sometimes up to 3 metres in diameter. In contrast, trees that grow in unsheltered places like mountain-slopes, are often short, bushy and gnarled.
The bark of the real yellowwood is khaki-coloured to grey when it is old, deeply split and peels off in strips.
The crown is relatively small in relation to its height and is often covered with grey lichen. Male and female cones resemble pine cones and are white, light green or pink.
The female cone has a fleshy podocarpium on which the seed, which takes on the shape and colour of a cherry, develops.
The leaves are strap-shaped, 25–40 mm long on mature trees, larger, to 100 mm long, on vigorous young trees, and 6–12 mm broad, with a bluntly pointed tip.

National Flag

Symbolism

The national flag was designed by a former South African State Herald, Mr Fred Brownell, and was first used on 27 April 1994.
The design and colours are a synopsis of principal elements of the country's flag history.
Individual colours, or colour combinations represent different meanings for different people and therefore no universal symbolism should be attached to any of the colours.
The central design of the flag, beginning at the flagpost in a 'V' form and flowing into a single horizontal band to the outer edge of the fly, can be interpreted as the convergence of diverse elements within South African society, taking the road ahead in unity.
The theme of convergence and unity ties in with the motto Unity is Strength of the previous South African Coat of Arms.

Flying the flag

Specific instructions with regard to the use of the national flag can be found in the Government Gazette 22356, Notice 510 of 8 June 2001 [PDF]. When the flag is displayed vertically against a wall, the red band should be to the left of the viewer with the hoist or the cord seam at the top. When it is displayed horizontally, the hoist should be to the left of the viewer and the red band at the top. When the flag is displayed next to or behind the speaker at a meeting, it must be placed to the speaker's right. When it is placed elsewhere in the meeting place, it should be to the right of the audience.

Coat of arms

National Coat of Arms

The role of a Coat of Arms

A national Coat of Arms, or state emblem, is the highest visual symbol of the State.
The Coat of Arms is also a central part of the Great Seal, traditionally considered to be the highest emblem of the State. Absolute authority is given to every document with an impression of the Great Seal on it, as this means that it has been approved by the President of South Africa.

South Africa’s Coat of Arms was launched on Freedom Day, 27 April 2000. The change reflected government's aim to highlight the democratic change in South Africa and a new sense of patriotism.

The design of the Coat of Arms

The Coat of Arms is a series of elements organised in distinct symmetric egg-like or oval shapes placed on top of one another.
The lower oval shape represents the elements of foundation The first element is the motto, in a green semicircle.
Completing the semicircle are two symmetrically placed pairs of elephant tusks pointing upwards. Within the oval shape formed by the tusks are two symmetrical ears of wheat, that in turn frame a centrally placed gold shield.
The shape of the shield makes reference to the drum, and contains two human figures from Khoisan rock art. The figures are depicted facing one another in greeting and in unity. Above the shield are a spear and a knobkierie, crossed in a single unit.
These elements are arranged harmoniously to give focus to the shield and complete the lower oval shape of foundation.
The oval shape of ascendance Immediately above the oval shape of foundation, is the visual centre of the Coat of Arms, a protea. The petals of the protea are rendered in a triangular pattern reminiscent of the crafts of Africa.

The secretary bird is placed above the protea and the flower forms the chest of the bird. The secretary bird stands with its wings uplifted in a regal and uprising gesture. The distinctive head feathers of the secretary bird crown a strong and vigilant head.

The rising sun above the horizon is placed between the wings of the secretary bird and completes the oval shape of ascendance.

The combination of the upper and lower oval shapes intersect to form an unbroken infinite course, and the great harmony between the basic elements result in a dynamic, elegant and thoroughly distinctive design. Yet it clearly retains the stability, gravity and immediacy that a Coat of Arms demands.

The symbols of the Coat of Arms

The oval shape of foundation

The motto
The motto is: !ke e: /xarra //ke, written in the Khoisan language of the /Xam people, literally meaning diverse people unite. It addresses each individual effort to harness the unity between thought and action. On a collective scale it calls for the nation to unite in a common sense of belonging and national pride - unity in diversity.
Pronunciation of !ke e: /xarra //ke:The ears of wheat
An emblem of fertility, it also symbolises the idea of germination, growth and the feasible development of any potential. It relates to the nourishment of the people and signifies the agricultural aspects of the Earth.Elephant tusks
Elephants symbolise wisdom, strength, moderation and eternity.The shield
It has a dual function as a vehicle for the display of identity and of spiritual defence. It contains the primary symbol of our nation.The human figures
The figures are derived from images on the Linton stone, a world-famous example of South African rock art, now housed and displayed in the South African Museum in Cape Town.
The Khoisan, the oldest known inhabitants of our land and most probably of the Earth, testify to our common humanity and heritage as South Africans and as humanity in general.
The figures are depicted in an attitude of greeting, symbolising unity. This also represents the beginning of the individual’s transformation into the greater sense of belonging to the nation and by extension, collective humanity. The spear and knobkierie
Dual symbols of defence and authority, they in turn represent the powerful legs of the secretary bird. The spear and knobkierie are lying down, symbolising peace.
The oval shape of ascendance The protea
The protea is an emblem of the beauty of our land and the flowering of our potential as a nation in pursuit of the African Renaissance. The protea symbolises the holistic integration of forces that grow from the Earth and are nurtured from above.
The most popular colours of Africa have been assigned to the protea – green, gold, red and black. The secretary bird
The secretary bird is characterised in flight, the natural consequence of growth and speed. It is the equivalent of the lion on Earth.
A powerful bird whose legs - depicted as the spear and knobkierie - serve it well in its hunt for snakes, symbolising protection of the nation against its enemies.
It is a messenger of the heavens and conducts its grace upon the Earth. In this sense it is a symbol of divine majesty.
Its uplifted wings are an emblem of the ascendance of our nation, while simultaneously offering us its protection. It is depicted in gold, which clearly symbolises its association with the sun and the highest power. The rising sun
An emblem of brightness, splendour and the supreme principle of the nature of energy, it symbolises the promise of rebirth, the active faculties of reflection, knowledge, good judgement and willpower.
It is the symbol of the source of life, of light and the ultimate wholeness of humanity.
The completed structure of the Coat of Arms combines the lower and higher oval shape in a symbol of infinity.
The path that connects the lower edge of the scroll, through the lines of the tusks, with the horizon above and the sun rising at the top, forms the shape of the cosmic egg from which the secretary bird rises. In the symbolic sense, this is the implied rebirth of the spirit of our great and heroic nation.

The National Anthem

A proclamation issued by the then State President, Nelson Mandela, on 20 April 1994 in terms of the provisions of Section 248 (1) together with Section 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1993 (Act 200 of 1993), stated that the Republic of South Africa would have two national anthems.
They were Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika and The Call of South Africa (Die Stem van Suid-Afrika). In terms of Section 4 of the Constitution of South Africa, 1996 (Act 108 of 1996), and following a proclamation in the Government Gazette No. 18341 (dated 10 October 1997), a shortened, combined version of Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika and The Call of South Africa is now the national anthem of South Africa.It is the only neo-modal national anthem in the world, by virtue of being the only one that starts in one key and finishes in another.
The lyrics employ the five most populous of South Africa's eleven official languages - isiXhosa (first stanza, first two lines), isiZulu (first stanza, last two lines), seSotho (second stanza), Afrikaans (third stanza) and English (final stanza).Nkosi Sekelel' iAfrika was composed in 1897 by Enoch Sontonga, a Methodist school teacher. It was originally sung as a church hymn but later became an act of political defiance against the apartheid Government.
Die Stem van Suid-Afrika/The Call of South Africa was written by C.J. Langenhoven in 1918. "Die Stem" was the co-national anthem with God Save the King/Queen from 1936 to 1957, when it became the sole national anthem until 1994.
The South African Government under Nelson Mandela adopted both songs as national anthems from 1994 until they were merged in 1997 to form the current anthem.

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Lyrics

Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo, Yizwa imithandazo yethu, Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo.	(Xhosa and Zulu)
Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso, O fedise dintwa le matshwenyeho, O se boloke, O se boloke setjhaba sa heso, Setjhaba sa South Afrika - South Afrika.	(Sesotho)
Uit die blou van onse hemel, Uit die diepte van ons see, Oor ons ewige gebergtes, Waar die kranse antwoord gee,	(Afrikaans)
Sounds the call to come together, And united we shall stand, Let us live and strive for freedom, In South Africa our land.	(English)