New national coat of arms for South Africa (adopted on 27 April 2000), inscribed in a square. On both sides, the country name displayed in Zulu / Swazi spelled the same in both languages), date above.

The Coat of Arms has many elements organized into two oval groups, one on top of the other. Together the two ovals create a symbol of infinity.

The Lower or Foundation Oval:
At the base is the motto "Diverse People Unite" written in the Khoisan language of the ǀXam people. On either side of the motto, pairs of elephant tusks. The tusks enclose two ears of wheat. At the centre is a shield. On the shield are depicted two Khoisan figures. The Khoisan are the oldest inhabitants of South Africa. The figures on the shield are based on the Linton Panel (a world-famous piece of rock art now housed in the South African Museum in Cape Town), and face each other in greeting and unity. Above the shield, a crossed spear and knobkierie (a traditional fighting stick) separate the lower oval from the upper oval.

The Upper or Ascendant Oval
At the centre is the South African National Flower, the King Protea. It is comprised of interlocking diamonds. The protea forms the chest of the secretary bird, whose head and wings stretch out above it. Between its wings, the rising sun.

Engraver: Arthur Sutherland

Wildebeest, value.

The wildebeests, also called gnus, are a genus of antelopes, scientific name Connochaetes. They belong to the family Bovidae, which includes antelopes, cattle, goats, sheep and other even-toed horned ungulates. Wildebeest is Dutch for "wild beast" or "wild cattle" in Afrikaans (bees "cattle"), while Connochaetes derives from the Greek words κόννος, kónnos, "beard", and χαίτη, khaítē, "flowing hair", "mane".

They are found in the northern grassveld regions of the Cape Province, throughout the Orange Free State to KwaZulu-Natal and the southern regions of Gauteng. Wildebeest hides were at one stage an important commodity in Kwa-Zulu-Natal.