Coat of arms of South Africa

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The Coat of arms of South Africa first in use in 1910^{[citation needed]} was replaced with a new design on Freedom Day 2000-04-27^[1].

The motto !ke e: /xarra //ke is written in the Khoisan language of the /Xam people and translates literally to "diverse people unite"^[1].

The motto's green is extended by pairs of elephant tusks. Within it are two ears of wheat and a golden shield with Khoisan rock art of two greeting human figures from the Linton stone.

Above the shield is a crossed knobkierie and spear, protea, secretary bird, and a rising sun. The design was by Iaan Bekker^[1].

In 2006, the State Herald of South Africa, Themba Mabaso, and the Deputy Herald, Marcel van Rossum, donned a tabard with the arms of the republic at the XXVIIth International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences in St Andrews, Scotland.

[edit] 1910 version

The first coat of arms was a combination of symbols taken from the arms of the four former states. The first quarter is the figure of Hope, taken from the arms of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope. The two wildebeests of the second quarter come from the arms of the Colony of Natal. The orange tree in the third quarter was used as the symbol of the Orange Free State Republic. The wagon in the fourth quarter is derived from the Republic of Transvaal. The supporters are taken from the arms of the Orange River Colony the Cape Colony.

The slogan, Ex Unitate Vires, is in Latin and can be roughly translated as "Power Through Unity".

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b c} http://www.info.gov.za/aboutgovt/symbols/coa/index.htm