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KaNgwane (South African homeland)

image by Clay Moss, 07 Dec 2005

KaNgwane - introduction
KaNgwane Coat of Arms

See also:

Transvaal

New Province :

Mpumalanga

KaNgwane - introduction

Within the "old" South Africa, 10 homelands were created, four of which were granted "independence" by South Africa (not recognised by any other country in the world). These former South African Homelands/bantustans ceased to exist on 27 April 1994. They have all (including the former so called independent Homelands) been reincorporated into South Africa.
KaNgwane was the only former South African homeland not to adopt a distinctive flag of its own (although it did have its own Coat of Arms). Instead, only the former South African flag was flown in the territory.

The flags of the other former Homelands are no longer in use (either officially or unofficially).
Bruce Berry, 25 April 1996

KaNgwane comprised three blocks of territory, rather small, in eastern Transvaal (today's Mpumalanga), the southern two bordering on Swaziland (and one of them also on Mozambique), and the other bordering on parts of Lebowa and Gazankulu.
Antonio Martins, 30 May 1999

The majority of its inhabitants were Swazis. The name KaNgwane means the place of the Ngwane, a major tribe of the Swazis whose Chief had that name.
KaNgwane was granted internal self-government on 31 August 1984.
Unlike the other homelands in South Africa, KaNgwane did not adopt a distinctive flag of its own and flew the then national flag of South Africa.

The homeland was re-incorporated into South Africa on 27 April 1994 and is now part of Mpumalanga province.
Bruce Berry, 01 Dec 1998

Kangwane was created 1977 with the name of AmaSwazi, and its destination was to be transferred to Swaziland. Later this attempt failed after popular protest (1982) and was dissolved. The homeland was recreated and renamed Kangwane 1984.

I don't know the exact links of Kangwane with Swaziland (the king of Swaziland is the "Ngwane") but I assume that the proposal of union persist and the flag was not adopted because the natural one was the Swaziland flag.
Jaume Ollé, 02 Dec 1998

KaNgwane Coat of Arms

scan by Bruce Berry, 07 July 2007

By Government Notice No. 2213, published in the South African Government Gazette (Number 7400 of 10 November 1978), it was notified that a coat of arms had been registered for the KaNgwane Legislative Assembly in terms of the South African Heraldry Act (Act No. 18 of 1962) with a Certificate of Registration No. 995 being issued on 06 April 1979.

The blazon of the coat of arms is described as:

Arms:                              Quarterly Or and Gules: first, three primitive paddle-shaped coins palewise Azure: second, an ox’s head caboshed Or; third, a demi-torch enflamed Or; fourth, three sorghum ears palewise Azure; behind the shield saltirewise a stick in bend Gules and an assegai in bend sinister Or.
Crest:                              Two lions combatant, langued Gules, armed Argent supporting the feathered shaft of the shield proper.
Wreath:                           A headring Or and Gules.
Supporters:                      Two elephants proper.
Special Compartment:      On a field Vert a rising sun Or.
Motto:                             SIYINYANDZA (We are a bundle of wood tied together).

With the re-incorporation of KaNgwane into South Africa on 27 April 1994, these arms are no longer in use.
Bruce Berry, 07 July 2007