Order of the Southern Cross (South Africa)
The Order of the Southern Cross is an award established in 1973 by the Republic of South Africa. The ribbon is red with two wide white and blue trims. This knighthood is bestowed only on foreigners and is thought for "conspicuous and exceptional merit to South Africa" ( for singular and exceptional achievement).
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Nobel laureates, the physician Christiaan Barnard who was the first to successfully transplant a human heart, ANC chairman Oliver Tambo and Chief Luthuli wear or carry this cross in gold. The writer Nadine Gordimer, E. Mphahlele and the paleontologist P. Tobias received the silver cross.
The decoration is in the shape of a white star with five arms and ten points and five gold points between the arms. A blue flower is placed in the center. A gold ornament serves as an elevation and connection to the ribbon.
This knighthood has the five degrees customary in international diplomacy.
- Grand Cross (Grand Cross)
- Grand Officer (Grand Officer)
- Commander (Commander)
- Officer (Officer)
- Member (Member)
The reforms after 2000
President Nelson Mandela announced his intention to reform the order system. The South African government saw the orders as a relic of apartheid with an overly European, rather than African, background and symbolism. The peoples of Southern Africa had no knighthoods. The design and symbolism of this order had negative connotations for some South Africans. This was especially true for the rays, the colours, the anchor and the Latin of the motto of the Order of the Good Hope . However, it was important to the South African government that the new symbolism mainly represented the South African identity, because the Order is awarded to foreigners.
External links
- Instructions and suggestions for new orders at www.info.gov.za
- Modern decorations of South Africa on
| Current national orders (2002-) | |
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| Historical decorations (1986-2002) | |
| Historical decorations (until 1986) |
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