Kwaito star Zola, Tsotsi actor Presley Chweneyagae, talk-show host Noeleen Maholwana-Sangqu and actresses Shaleen Surtie-Richards and Nina Swart are among South African celebrities who have come out in support of a new emblem for Parliament.
In August, Parliament called on all South Africans to take part in designing its new emblem. The current emblem dates from 1910 and represents the Westminster tradition, according to which South Africa adopted the design for the coat of arms from Britain. It includes the old South African coat of arms and the four colonies.
”We are very excited that this process will, for the first time after 12 years, change the positioning and the image of Parliament,” Deputy Speaker Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde said in August.
South Africans of all walks of life have been entering their designs, hoping to be one of 20 finalists to contribute to the team effort of creating a new emblem.
Zola said the new emblem should be easy to recognise and cater for all races, cultures and religions. ”It has to be something that is a symbol of being independent and democratic,” he said. ”That would work for me.”
He is keen for the new emblem to include a lioness. ”In all the logos I have seen throughout the history of mankind since the Roman days and ancient Ethiopia, they always show a male lion. Enough. Stop right there. They only look at the size; they don’t look at the intelligence. We live in a country where women rule 50% of it. We will be the first country to get rid of the male lion and acknowledge the mama!”
The lioness should carry a cub in her mouth, Zola said. ”Teeth can kill, but her teeth are also gentle enough to protect. The cub would represent the nation. Because South Africans choose not to fight, we go and negotiate, we talk, and encourage other countries to use the same approach.”
Surtie-Richards agreed that the new emblem should represent all the cultures in South Africa. ”The first image that comes to mind is of a face that is black on the one side and white on the other to represent the racial diversity and unity of our nation. It’s a Parliament for all our people, after all.”
Parliament’s joint rules committee agreed that the new designs should reflect the following criteria: Africa, South Africa’s multicultural society, a break with the past and a new beginning, unity of South African people, the stature and dignity of the institution, historical continuity and democracy.
The design should be attractive, distinctly African, dignified, heraldic, meaningful and simple. It should also take into account the changed national coat of arms.
Chweneyagae said the emblem should portray South Africa’s history. ”It should show that from the strife and conflict of the past we have achieved a peaceful transition to become a rainbow nation. I like the image of a rainbow.” He said the emblem should also be a symbol of our Constitution and the rule of law.
The closing date for submission of draft designs for a new emblem is September 9. A four-day workshop will take place from October 3 to 6 at Lanzerac Manor and Winery in the Western Cape.
The workshop will be attended by the 20 shortlisted designers and comprise lectures, design sessions and motivational talks. Thereafter five designs will be selected, and a final design will be refined by Parliament’s heraldry division.
Asked about her favourite national symbol, Nina Swart, who will soon appear in TV soap 7de Laan again, laughed and said: ”The finger with which people indicate to taxis where they want to go. That is such a wonderful and peculiarly South African thing.” But she conceded it might not work well as an emblem for Parliament. ”What if people mistake it for PW Botha’s famous index finger?”
Post designs to: New Emblem Design, PO Box 15, Cape Town, 8000