Learn about the constitution with South African Mint’s new R2 coin

Centurion, South Africa – 25 June 2019: The South African Reserve Bank (SARB), together with it’s wholly owned subsidiary South African Mint, today officially released into circulation a new R2 commemorative circulation coin themed ‘Right to Education’ as part of its coin programme launched earlier this month to commemorate 25 years of South Africa’s constitutional democracy.

The SA25 themed ‘Celebrating South Africa’ coin series features five commemorative R2 circulation coins, a commemorative R5 coin and three collectable coins in gold, silver and bronze alloy.

Education rights are contained in section 29 of the South African Constitution, which guarantees the right to a basic education (including adult basic education) and to further education which the state, through reasonable measures, must make progressively available and accessible.

Announcing the new coin, South African Mint Managing Director Tumi Tsehlo said, “Education is a fundamental human right which is essential to the understanding and exercise of all other rights guaranteed by our constitution. It promotes freedom and enables empowerment.”

“Moreover, education can lift both children and adults out of poverty and propel them to participate fully as citizens in the economy.”

The reverse (tails) of the R2 ‘Right to Education’ coin features three internationally known symbols of learning and knowledge – a book, a cube (featuring letters and numbers) and a graduation cap. The obverse (heads) features the national coat of arms together with the date of issue, ‘2019’, and the words ‘South Africa’ written in English and ‘Afrika-Dzonga’ in Xitsonga.

All the SA25 commemorative circulations coins issued by the SARB and the South African Mint, including the collectable range, use a common typeface created by Garth Walker. He created the typography in 2003 as a unique wayfinding system font for the Constitutional Court of South Africa.

Artist Neo Mahlangu, believes the topic of education is an important one in the country. “Due to its potent influence on this nation, I wanted to create a design that could resonate with a mature adult pursuing studies as well as a child in a preschool in equal measure. Education is such an empowering right that if used to its fullest capacity can have the possibility to unlock incredible opportunity.”

South Africans will soon find these coins in their change and are encouraged to find, collect and keep these special SA25 circulation coins through a specially designed collectors’ folder produced to hold all the six coins. This folder can be collected, at no cost, from the South African Mint’s retail store in Centurion, as well as the various other outlets mentioned on the SA25 website.

The commemorative coins are introduced in a phased manner – two a month – starting with the R2 coin themed ‘Children’s Rights’, now followed by the ‘Right to Education’ themed R2 coin. The next two to be released next month focus on environmental rights and the freedom of movement and residence.

The SARB Governor, Lesetja Kganyago, announced the SA25 range of commemorative circulation coins earlier this month as part of the celebrations to mark 25 years of SA’s constitutional democracy, together with a series of collectables coins. The SARB would like to reiterate that the new commemorative circulation coins, like all other circulation coins, are ‘normal’ circulation coins that are only worth their face value – R2. The SARB issues commemorative circulation coins as part of its currency production function.

The South African Mint also launched special edition collector’s sets which include all the circulations coins, the R50 silver and the R50 bronze alloy collectable coins. The sets and collectable coins can also be purchased from the various South African Mint retail outlets listed on the SA25 website, www.sa25.co.za. More information is also available on:

Twitter: @SAMint
Facebook: @SouthAfricanMint
Instagram: @southafricanmint

NOTE TO EDITORS:
About Artist Neo Mahlangu: Born in Ga-Rankuwa, Neo currently resides in Johannesburg. Her striking bodies of work are created using digital illustrations and charcoal, often experimenting with social media as an additional medium. She aims to create work that inspires self-reflection and introspection with regard to human interaction. Mahlangu has taken part in numerous group exhibitions and was a finalist for the Cassirer Welz Award in 2017. She received the title as one of the Design Indaba Emerging Creatives for 2018, was listed as one of the top 10 ‘Young Gauteng’ creatives by 100% Design South Africa. Neo has undergone training practicing design to become a creative and conceptual artist. Subsequent to that, she studied BSc Medical Sciences at the University of Pretoria.