Overview: Municipal Heraldry

Municipal heraldry was introduced in 1804. Since then, hundreds of city, town, village and district authority arms have been created but, as a result of recent local government reforms, they are now obsolete, and a new generation of municipal arms is being developed to take their place.

Background
In 1804, the Dutch authorities at the Cape gave each of the six local authorities an heraldic seal, which displayed the arms of the founder of the town superimposed on a black anchor on a golden background. They were used until the local authorities were abolished in 1827, and were later revived after a new system of local government was introduced in 1836.

During the second half of the 19th century, and the first half of the 20th, dozens of city, town and other councils assumed arms (or, in many instances, pseudo-arms). Between 1899 and 1961 at least twenty councils obtained grants from the College of Arms (or, in one instance, the Lyon Office). Some of the grants were simply confirmations of existing arms.

Voluntary registration, as a means of protection, was introduced in Natal in 1949, and extended to the Transvaal in 1951 and to the Cape and Orange Free State in 1953. The provincial administrations were the registering authorities, and they did not insist on heraldic correctness.

From 1963, the provincial administrations, and the South West Africa administration, could grant arms to local authorities, subject however to Heraldry Council approval of designs, and registration at the Bureau of Heraldry. About a hundred arms were granted (or, in many cases, re-granted) and registered. The provincial administrations' authority to grant and register arms was revoked in 1969, since when the Bureau has been the sole authority. Between 1970 and 1996, it registered the arms of more than 300 municipalities and divisional councils.

Several changes in local government structures since the late 1970s have had their effect on municipal heraldry. Between 1980 and 1992, the Bureau registered the arms of a few dozen short-lived "Black local authorities". Between 1988 and 1999, it registered arms for three dozen regional services councils, for which it devised a uniform format. In 1992 and 1993, a dozen urban councils in the Bophuthatswana homeland registered arms.

Local government rationalisation began in 1996 with the formation of transitional councils. Despite their temporary nature, two dozen of them registered arms. Rationalisation was completed in 2000, when the 843 transitional authorities were replaced with 284 new municipalities: six metropolitan, 47 district, and 231 local. This evidently rendered most of the existing arms obsolete.

Registration of arms for the new authorities began in 2002. To date, only a few dozen arms have been gazetted, so the process looks likely to continue for quite a few years.

Characteristics
Pre-2000 municipal arms usually consisted of shield, crest and motto and, in some instances, supporters. Sometimes a mural crown took the place of the crest, and from the mid-1970s the Bureau used a rather Napoleonic-style crown for this purpose. Regional services council arms had a triple-towered metal crown, and birds as supporters.

Charges on arms were derived from a variety of sources, including the arms of founders or namesakes; symbols of local commerce, industry or agriculture; and local landmarks and history. A few had canting arms. Riverside and seaside town council arms often had wavy bars in their arms.

The new post-2000 arms are somewhat different to their predecessors. More than half of those gazetted thus far are depicted on African shields, and there are new styles of mural crown. District municipalities (successors to the regional services councils) have birds as supporters. The sun, water, symbols of agriculture and industry, and stylised landscapes seem to be popular.

Legal Protection
A municipal coat of arms belongs to the municipal council as a corporate body, rather than to the town or district as a place. Since 1963, registered municipal arms have been protected under the Heraldry Act, and anyone who wears, uses, sells, barters or trades in unauthorised representations of them can (i) be stopped by court order, and/or (ii) be sued for damages of up to 1000 rands, and/or (iii) be prosecuted and fined up to 1000 rands.

References/Sources/Links

South African Heraldry Website © Arthur Radburn