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MANTLING (Afr: DEKKLEDE)
The mantling is usually in the principal tinctures of the shield of arms, though not necessarily the first colour and first metal mentioned in the blazon. Generally, if the shield is divided per fess or per chevron, the tincture of the lower section is used, and if there is a chief, its tincture is used - there are, however, exceptions. Since the late 1970s, the BoH has distinguished the mantling of personal arms by adding a tassel (in the metal, banded in the colour) on each side, but this is not mentioned in the blazon unless there is some special feature to the tassels.

MATRICULATION OF ARMS (Afr: MATRIKULASIE)
Since 1969, any lawful descendant or adopted child of a lawful armiger has been able to matriculate, i.e. re-register*, that armiger's arms in his/her own name at the BoH, and since 1980 a registered armiger has been able to apply for his/her arms to be re-registered after his/her death in the name(s) of any descendant(s) or anyone else bearing the same family name. In both cases, differencing* is optional. More than 40 arms have been matriculated since the first re-registration in 1978, most of them for children, but a few for grandchildren too, and one for great-grandchildren.

MEDICAL BATTALION GROUPS
The arms of the SA Military Health Service*'s medical battalions are all divided in various ways into Murrey and Argent, and display one or more Maltese crosses fitchy at the feet, corresponding to the number in the unit's title, e.g. three for 3 Medical Battalion Group (1980s).

MEDICAL PROFESSION
Many medical institutions, e.g. colleges, hospitals, professional associations, and research bodies, are armigerous. The colour Murrey is very popular, and charges such as the ankh (a.k.a. ansate cross), the caduceus, the fleam, the lighted lamp, and the Rod of Aesculapius are widely used. Hospital arms also often include charges denoting the towns or districts which they serve, e.g. the bee symbol of Pretoria and the ankh in the arms of Kalafong Hospital (BoH 1980).

MILITARY HEALTH SERVICE
The SA Military Health Service emblem (2003) is the Rod of Aesculapius. Units have their own arms, which have been developed since the 1970s. The colour Murrey and the Rod of Aesculapius are prominent features of many of them. Some categories of units, e.g. medical battalion groups* and military hospitals, have category arms, which are differenced for the individual units.

MINEHEAD (Afr: MYNSKAG)
The trellised minehead is used as a charge in several arms, e.g. those of Bophuthatswana*, various mining towns, and Mines Rescue Services (Pty) Ltd (BoH 2002), where it is accompanied by flames.

MINEHUNTERS
The SA Navy*'s River-class minehunters, commissioned in 1987, bear badges depicting a bridge spanning a river, with a suitable charge in the chief to identify the individual vessel, e.g. a thorn tree for SAS Umgeni (1980s).

MINING AND MINERALS
Charges typically found in the arms of mining towns, districts and companies include: the gold stamp*, the hammer, the minehead*, the pick, and the shovel. In some arms, e.g. those of Westonaria (BoH 1978), black pallets represent mineshafts. Often specific minerals are represented, e.g. coal (a black lozenge), copper (its alchemical symbol), the diamond*, gold (ingots or simply a golden tincture) , and iron (its alchemical symbol).

MONSTERS
SA heraldry makes little use of the hybrid creatures and monsters found in British and European arms. Those which do appear from time to time are the gryphon and the unicorn.

MOTTO (Afr: WAPENSPREUK)
Most SA arms (+ 77% of those registered at the BoH) include a motto, which is included in the blazon if the arms are registered, though this does not give exclusive ownership of the motto in itself. English, Afrikaans and Latin are popular, but African languages have become more prominent in recent years.

The motto is displayed on a scroll below the shield of arms. In the early 1970s, the BoH introduced a stylised curved scroll with fold-backs, in the same colour as the mantling, with lining and lettering in the metal. A more elaborate scroll was introduced in 2001.

MUNICIPALITIES
Most of the municipalities and councils which existed before the 1996 local government reorganisation were armigerous, the oldest arms being Cape Town's (1804). The BoH introduced uniform formats and mural crowns* for the arms of various classes of authority, e.g. regional services councils*, and urban councils*. Despite their temporary nature, two dozen of the transitional authorities* which were created during the first phase of the reorganisation (1996-2000), also registered arms.

Since 2002, arms have been gazetted for several dozen of the new municipalities created in 2000. African shields and symbols are popular, there are new mural crowns, and district municipalities* have supporters.

MURAL CROWN (Afr: MUURKROON)
The mural crown has become the pre-eminent symbol of local government, and is found in many municipal* arms, usually as the crest or part of the crest.

The BoH has devised different crowns for different classes of authority: (a) towns (1960s-70s), (b) towns (1970s- ), (c) regional services councils* (1988-2000), (d) town committees and health boards (1980s-90s), (e) local area councils (1991), (f) urban councils* (1993-94), (g) transitional authorities* (1996-2000), and (h), (i) and (j) the new municipalities (2002- ).

NATIONAL ARCHIVES & RECORDS SERVICE
Formerly (until 1996) the State Archives Service. The Bureau of Heraldry* has been a branch of the service since its inception in 1963, and for the first few years, the Director of Archives co-signed the Bureau's registration certificates*, on which its arms (granted in 1965) also appeared. A database of registered heraldic representations is incorporated into the NARS website.

NATIONAL HERALD
The executive head of the Bureau of Heraldry*, called "State Herald" until 2004. He is also ex officio a member of the Heraldry Council* and of the directorate of the National Archives of SA. The four National Heralds to date have been: Dr Coenraad Beyers (1963-64), Norden Hartman (1964-82), Frederick Brownell (1982-2002), and Themba Mabaso (2002- ).

NAVAL COMMANDS
The SA Navy* regional command HQs had similar badges, depicting crossed seaxes ensigned by an appropriate regional emblem, i.e a disa* flower for the Cape-based Naval Command West and a strelitzia for the Natal-based Naval Command East. The badges, like that of Navy HQ, were pentagonal.

NAVY
The SA Navy emblem (2003) depicts an anchor surmounted by the secretary-bird crest of the national arms. Ships and shore bases have British-style "ship's badges", consisting of a frame of cable, topped with a name panel ensigned with the crest of the national arms. Most are circular. While most badges are individual, some classes of ships, e.g. minehunters*, strike craft*, and submarines* have class badges which are differenced for each vessel in that class.

NOWY GABLY (Afr: GEWELVORMIG GEKNOBBEL)
An original SA line*, introduced in 1982 and consisting of single Cape Dutch farmhouse gable, usually applied to a chief. It is found in several arms, e.g. those of the former House of Assembly (in Parliament) (BoH 1987), which also included a mascle with gably points. See also: gably.

NOWY OF AN INDIAN CUPOLA (Afr: GEKNOBBEL MET 'N INDIESE KOEPEL)
An original SA line*, introduced in 1992 and consisting of single stylised Indian temple cupola applied to a chief. It is found in a few Indian institutions' arms, e.g. those of Greytown Primary School (BoH 1992). See also: cupolaed.

NOWY OF A KAROO GABLE (Afr: KAROOGEWELVORMIG GEKNOBBEL)
An original SA line*, introduced in 1988 and consisting of single stylised Karoo farmhouse end-gable, usually applied to a chief. It is found in several personal and municipal arms, e.g. those of Joseph Brooks (BoH 1991). There is no "Karoo gably" line as such, but a few arms have been devised in which a chief is charged with three gables (or houses) issuant, which creates a similar effect.

ONDOYANT — see Serpentine

ORANGE RIVER LILY (Afr: ORANJERIVIER-LELIE)
The flower* symbol of the Free State (formerly Orange Free State) appears in many arms, including the new provincial arms (BoH 1999). Blazons usually specify the number of blossoms and buds to be depicted.

ORANGE TREE (Afr: ORANJEBOOM or LEMOENBOOM)
The symbol of the Orange Free State originated as a tree* of liberty, of no particular species. It was later depicted as an olive tree, then oranges were added to it, and eventually it was changed to a proper orange tree. The tree represented the province in the 1910 national arms*, and was used as a charge in various other arms in the province.

ORDER OF MALTA
The Sovereign Military Order of Malta has been represented in South Africa since 1992 by the Brotherhood of the Blessed Gérard, which has registered its arms (BoH 2001).
 

ORDER OF ST JOHN
The SA priory of the British chapter of the Order of St John of Jerusalem bears the arms of the parent order. A knight may place the cross of the order behind his arms, and a Bailiff Grand Cross is entitled to a non-hereditary chief of religion* and supporters* as additaments*.

ORDER OF ST LAZARUS
The SA grand bailiwick of the Order of St Lazarus of Jerusalem bears a differenced version of the arms of the order (LO 1967, BoH 1992). A knight may place the cross of the order behind his arms, and a Grand Cross is entitled to a non-hereditary chief of religion* and supporters* as additaments*.

ORDERS AND DECORATIONS
There seems to be no reason why recipients of SA honours and awards should not display the insignia on their arms, though they are not included in BoH registration certificates. Unlike British honours, the insignia of SA orders do not include circlets or collars which could be placed around the shield.

ORDERS OF CHIVALRY
SA recognises the independent orders listed in the International Register of Orders of Chivalry, and three - the Orders of Malta*, of St John*, and of St Lazarus* - have branches in SA. The statutes of those orders confer various heraldic privileges on members.

OX-WAGON (Afr: OSSEWA)
The vehicle symbolising the "great trek" of Afrikaner migrants out of the Cape Colony in the 1830s is found in many official, municipal and other arms in the Transvaal, including the provincial arms (1858, BoH 1967). A later model, with a half-tent, represented the province in the national* arms until 2000. A wagon wheel is also used as a charge.