EKURHULENI METROPOLE
Province: Gauteng.
Created: 2000; incorporating Alberton, Benoni, Boksburg, Brakpan, Germiston, Nigel and Springs.
The arms do not appear to be registered. They incorporate a shield and a number of other elements that in part approximate a traditional heraldic achievement, but in other ways do not quite match the tradition. They may be blazoned:
Arms: Per pale bleu céléste and azure, in base a point couped or: 1: an atomic diagram representing the paths of three electrons; 2. a kudu horn in bend argent and a trumpet in bend sinister or; 3. a formal mound sable composed of rectangular blocks in three steps.
Crest: Upon a semi-circle azure a dove in flight bearing in its beak an olive sprig argent.
Supporters: A pair of women in traditional Ndebele attire, head sable in silhouette, each with a pair of neck-rings argent, a bar sable, and each woman wearing a blanket tierced in fess, the segments fimbriated argent: 1. Or, three lozenges sable voided argent; 2. Bleu céléste a fess argent charged with two lozenges bleu céléste, the fess and the lozenges all fimbriated azure; 3. Azure, three bars couped in fess (one shown in full, two emerging from the ides), each with a barrulet emergent dexter and sinister, all argent.
Compartment: Two oak leaves or emergent from the base of the shield, the supporters standing upon the outer edges of the leaves; beneath the shield three bars wavy bleu céléste.
The whole design rounded off with a pair of scrolls, the upper one sable, inscribed Ekurhuleni, the lower one azure, inscribed Prosper in Peace, the lettering argent.
About the arms:
The metropole’s name, Ekurhuleni, is an isiNguni word meaning “place of peace”. The letters RH stand for the sound represented in the Afrikaans and Dutch languages by the letter G. IsiNguni, like all Bantu languages, is tonal and does not feature stress as it is known in European languages. However, to the extent that one can indicate stress, it falls on the second E, which has the sound Ê.
The official description provided by the Ekurhuleni Council ignores heraldic terms like dexter and sinister, and refers to the dexter side as “left” and vice versa. It reads:
“The guiding theme is contained in the meaning of the name Ekurhuleni – A place of Peace. A blue firmament holds the graphic symbol of peace.
“The white dove is a symbol of the Spirit and the olive branch symbolises the growth of that peace.
“At the top left is a symbol for nuclear fusion that represents scientific development and progress – the rational ambitions of the region.
“The top right trine features a combination of a traditional and a modern musical instrument – a Kudu horn and a trumpet – a link to the spiritual realm through the practice of arts.
“These three aspects form a holistic depiction of human needs; to work, to grow and to learn.
“Flanking the crest [sic] are two supporters in the form of two women, clad in traditional dress. They represent nurturing and guidance within the human family. The oak leaves at the base of the supporters represent the promise of growth. Between the leaves is the symbol for water and lakes – the key resource to life.
“The motto completes the coat of arms by expressing the essential mission and hope of the Ekurhuleni region to Prosper in Peace.”
The description omits mention of the base of the shield, which appears to be a representation of a mine dump, with tall modern buildings in the foreground.
The description also does not state which element is represented in the first portion of the shield. The electron paths are indicated in dark blue and white.
The horn of the kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), is used in Bantu-speaking traditions where an ox-horn or something of that kind was used historically in Western Europe.
There is a reference to “Spirit” – apparently for political reasons the explanation is silent as to which spirit is intended, but it is clear that it is (at least for Christians) the Holy Spirit.
The description also avoids mention of the ethnicity of the supporters, but they are clearly Ndebele women, dressed in clothing and beadwork typical of the Southern Ndebele region which made up the former KwaNdebele homeland state.
The municipality lies across the main Witwatersrand gold reef, and there are gold mines in most of the former municipalities that make up Ekurhuleni.
About the metropole:
The municipality was created out of the eastern part of the Witwatersrand conurbation. It was initially called East Rand, but the name Ekurhuleni was adopted soon after the council was constituted.
The municipality comprises 88 wards. Its geographical area is 1 932 km².
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Comments, queries: Mike Oettle