National symbols of South Africa
Encyclopedia
Since unification in 1910, South Africa
has used a range of national symbols
to identify the country: coats of arms, official seals, flags, national anthems, and floral, bird, animal, and other emblems.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
has used a range of national symbols
National symbols
A national symbol is a symbol of any entity considering itself and manifesting itself to the world as a national community – namely sovereign states, but also nations and countries in a state of colonial or other dependence, federal integration, or even an ethnocultural community considered a...
to identify the country: coats of arms, official seals, flags, national anthems, and floral, bird, animal, and other emblems.
Coats of arms
- 1910 coat of armsCoat of arms of South AfricaThe present coat of arms of South Africa was introducedon Freedom Day April 27, 2000. It replaced the earlier national arms, which had been in use since 1910. The motto ǃke e: ǀxarra ǁke is written in the Khoisan language of the ǀXam people and translates literally to "diverse people unite"...
- granted by King George V in 1910, and used until 2000. - 2000 coat of armsCoat of arms of South AfricaThe present coat of arms of South Africa was introducedon Freedom Day April 27, 2000. It replaced the earlier national arms, which had been in use since 1910. The motto ǃke e: ǀxarra ǁke is written in the Khoisan language of the ǀXam people and translates literally to "diverse people unite"...
- introduced by the Mbeki administrationThabo MbekiThabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki is a South African politician who served two terms as the second post-apartheid President of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008. He is also the brother of Moeletsi Mbeki...
in 2000.
Seals
- Great Seal of the Union - authorised by King George V in 1910, and used until 1937 on state documents signed by the governor-general.
- Royal Great Seal of the Union - authorised by the Royal Executive Functions and Seals Act 1934, and used until 1961 on state documents signed by the monarch on the advice of the South African government.
- Royal Signet of the Union - authorised by the Royal Executive Functions and Seals Act 1934, and used until 1961 on state documents signed by the monarch on the advice of the South African government.
- Governor-General's Great Seal - authorised by King George VI in 1937, and used until 1961 on state documents signed by the governor-general.
- Seal of the Republic - authorised by the Republic of South Africa Constitution Act 1961, and used on state documents signed by the (state) presidentPresident of South AfricaThe President of the Republic of South Africa is the head of state and head of government under South Africa's Constitution. From 1961 to 1994, the head of state was called the State President....
. The use of the seal has not been a constitutional requirement since 1997, but its use continues nevertheless.
National
- National Flag of the UnionFlag of South AfricaThe current flag of the Republic of South Africa was adopted on 27 April 1994, at the beginning of the 1994 general election, to replace the flag that had been used since 1928...
- authorised by the Union Flags and Nationality Act 1927, and introduced in 1928. Renamed the "National Flag of the Republic" in 1961, it was used until 1994. - National FlagFlag of South AfricaThe current flag of the Republic of South Africa was adopted on 27 April 1994, at the beginning of the 1994 general election, to replace the flag that had been used since 1928...
- the current flag, introduced in 1994.
Merchant ensign
- Red EnsignRed EnsignThe Red Ensign or "Red Duster" is a flag that originated in the early 17th century as a British ensign flown by the Royal Navy and later specifically by British merchantmen. The precise date of its first appearance is not known, but surviving receipts indicate that the Navy was paying to have such...
defaced with the shield of the coat of arms - authorised by the AdmiraltyAdmiraltyThe Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
in 1910, for use on South African-registered merchant ships, and also used as an unofficial "national flag". From 1912, the shield was placed on a white disc. The ensign was discontinued in 1960. - Since 1960, the national flag has been used as the merchant ensign.
Civil ensign
- Blue EnsignBlue EnsignThe Blue Ensign is a flag, one of several British ensigns, used by certain organisations or territories associated with the United Kingdom. It is used either plain, or defaced with a badge or other emblem....
defaced with the shield of the coat of arms - authorised by the Admiralty in 1910, for use on South African government vessels. Superseded by the National Flag of the Union.
Head of state's flag
- Union Jack defaced with the full coat of arms surrounded by acacia leaves and flowers - flown by the governor-general until 1931.
- Governor-General's flag - blue, displaying the royal crest between two ribands bearing the name of the country. Used from 1931 to 1961.
- State President's flag (1) - blue, displaying the national coat of arms below the letters SP. Used from 1961 to 1984.
- State President's flag (2) - orange, white, and blue triangles, displaying the national coat of arms below the letters SP. Used from 1984 to 1994.
National Anthem
- God Save the King (Queen) - used from 1910 to 1957.
- Die Stem van Suid-AfrikaDie Stem van Suid-AfrikaDie Stem van Suid-Afrika was the national anthem of South Africa from 1957 to 1994, and shared national anthem status with Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika until 1997, when a new hybrid anthem was adopted. It was also the anthem for South-West Africa under South African mandate until 1990.- Background :In...
- used from 1938 to 1957 as joint anthem with God Save the King (Queen); from 1957 to 1994 as the sole national anthem; and from 1994 to 1997 as joint anthem with Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika. - Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrikaNkosi Sikelel' iAfrika"Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" , was originally composed as a hymn by a Methodist mission school in Johannesburg teacher, Enoch Sontonga in 1897, to the tune 'Aberystwyth' by Joseph Parry...
- used from 1994 to 1997 as joint anthem with Die Stem. - National Anthem of South AfricaNational anthem of South AfricaSince 1997, the South African national anthem has been a hybrid song combining new English lyrics with extracts of the hymn "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" and the former anthem "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" . The fact that it shifts and ends in a different key, a feature it shares with the Italian national...
- shortened versions of Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika and Die Stem, with altered words, combined into a single anthem, and used since 1997.
Other symbols
- King ProteaNational flower of South AfricaThe giant or king protea is widely distributed in the south-western and southern areas of the Western Cape, from the Cedarberg up to just east of Grahamstown. South Africa's national flower is the largest of the proteas, which make up an important part of the Cape Floral Region, a major global...
- Blue CraneBlue CraneThe Blue Crane , also known as the Stanley Crane and the Paradise Crane, is the national bird of South Africa. It is a tall, ground-dwelling bird, but is fairly small by the standards of the crane family. It is 100–120 cm tall and weighs 4.0–6.2 kg...
- SpringbokSpringbokSpringbok can have the following meanings:* Springbok , a small antelope inhabiting southern and western Africa.* South Africa national rugby union team, known as the Springboks....
- Yellowwood tree
See also
- Coat of arms of South AfricaCoat of arms of South AfricaThe present coat of arms of South Africa was introducedon Freedom Day April 27, 2000. It replaced the earlier national arms, which had been in use since 1910. The motto ǃke e: ǀxarra ǁke is written in the Khoisan language of the ǀXam people and translates literally to "diverse people unite"...
- Flag of South AfricaFlag of South AfricaThe current flag of the Republic of South Africa was adopted on 27 April 1994, at the beginning of the 1994 general election, to replace the flag that had been used since 1928...
- List of South African flags
- National anthem of South AfricaNational anthem of South AfricaSince 1997, the South African national anthem has been a hybrid song combining new English lyrics with extracts of the hymn "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" and the former anthem "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" . The fact that it shifts and ends in a different key, a feature it shares with the Italian national...
- National flower of South AfricaNational flower of South AfricaThe giant or king protea is widely distributed in the south-western and southern areas of the Western Cape, from the Cedarberg up to just east of Grahamstown. South Africa's national flower is the largest of the proteas, which make up an important part of the Cape Floral Region, a major global...