Republic Festival
South Africa, Durban · 1981-05-30
Official first day cover (FDC) · South African philately
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front
This cover is postmarked on 30 May 1981 in Durban, the day before the twentieth anniversary of the founding of the Republic of South Africa on 31 May 1961. It marks the Republic Festival held that year under the theme "Unity in Diversity". The four-stamp strip pictures South Africa's first four State Presidents in office order, while the single 15c stamp completes the set with a portrait of Marais Viljoen, who was serving as State President when this cover was issued. One State President never appears on either stamp. T E Dönges was elected to the office in February 1967 but died before he could be sworn in.
Description of the Cachet
The cachet is dominated by an embossed silver coat of arms, the full national arms of the Republic of South Africa with its supporting figures, shield and the motto "Unitate" on a scroll below. Below the arms the cover carries the bilingual title "Republiek van Suid-Afrika · Republic of South Africa", and beneath that the RSA 20 festival logo in navy and orange. The two stamps sit apart in the top right. One is a se-tenant strip of four portraits of the Republic's first four State Presidents, issued for the 1961-1981 anniversary. The other is a single portrait of Marais Viljoen, the sitting State President at the time. Both are cancelled with a circular Republikfees postmark showing a torch, the wording "Republiekfees · Festival" curving around the rim.
Information Card
REPUBLIC FESTIVAL — RSA 20 South Africa attained political maturity when she became a Republic on 31 May 1961. In that year her diverse peoples and cultures were unified, while retaining their identity, under an own State President in an own sovereign state, the Republic of South Africa, with a constitution representative of the various constitutional elements that contributed to her birth. In this year, 1981, the twentieth anniversary of the founding of the Republic of South Africa will be commemorated with "Unity in Diversity" as the festival theme. In humble gratitude to the Almighty the peoples of South Africa look back with joy on two decades of unparalleled growth and once more pledge allegiance to their country. Grateful homage is paid to the State Presidents of the Republic of South Africa who, to use the words of the oath of office, have promoted that which will advance the Republic, have opposed all that might harm her, have dedicated themselves to the welfare of her inhabitants, have obeyed, observed, upheld and maintained the constitution and all other laws of the Republic, have discharged their duties with all their strength and talents to the best of their knowledge and ability and true to the dictates of their consciences, have done justice unto all and have devoted themselves to the well-being of their people and thus, by word and deed, have contributed towards the realization of the ideal of "unity in diversity". STATE PRESIDENTS OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA Mr Charles Robberts Swart (31 May 1961 — 31 May 1967) Mr Jacobus Johannes Fouché (10 April 1968 — 9 April 1975) Dr Nicolaas Diederichs (19 April 1975 — 21 August 1978) Mr Balthazar Johannes Vorster (10 October 1978 — 4 June 1979) Mr Marais Viljoen (19 June 1979 — present) (Dr T E Dönges was elected State President on 28 February 1967, but died before he was sworn in.) (Text by Mr V J Krohn, National Festival Director, RSA 20.) REPUBLIEKFEES — RSA 20 Met Republiekwording op 31 Mei 1961 het Suid-Afrika staatkundig volle wasdom bereik. Sy verskeidenheid volkere en kulture het toe, met behoud van identiteit, 'n eenheidsbeslag gekry onder 'n eie Staatspresident in 'n eie soewereine staat, die Republiek van Suid-Afrika, met 'n grondwet wat die verskillende konstitusionele elemente verteenwoordig wat tot sy wording bygedra het. Vanjaar, 1981, word die twintigste bestaansjaar van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika herdenk met "Eenheid in Verskeidenheid" as die feestema. In nederige erkentlikheid teenoor die Allerhoogste kyk die mense van Suid-Afrika met vreugde terug op twee dekades van ongekende groei en beloof opnuut trou aan hulle land. Dankbare hulde word gebring aan die Staatspresidente van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika wat, in die woorde van die ampseed, bevorder het wat tot die Republiek se voordeel was, afgeweer het wat hom kon skaad, hulle aan die welvaart van sy inwoners gewy het, die grondwet en al ander reg van die Republiek gehoorsaam, eerbiedig, gehandhaaf en onderhou het, hul werksaamhede getrou met al hul kragte en talente en na die beste van hul vermoë en kennis en getrou aan die stem van hul gewete, uitgevoer het, aan almal reg laat geskied het en hulle aan die welsyn van hul volk gewy het en sodoende deur woord en daad bygedra het tot die verwesenliking van die ideaal van "eenheid in verskeidenheid". STAATSPRESIDENTE VAN DIE REPUBLIEK VAN SUID-AFRIKA Mnr Charles Robberts Swart (31 Mei 1961 — 31 Mei 1967) Mnr Jacobus Johannes Fouché (10 April 1968 — 9 April 1975) Dr Nicolaas Diederichs (19 April 1975 — 21 Augustus 1978) Mnr Balthazar Johannes Vorster (10 Oktober 1978 — 4 Junie 1979) Mnr Marais Viljoen (19 Junie 1979 — tans) (Dr T E Dönges is op 28 Februarie 1967 tot Staatspresident verkies, maar is oorlede voordat hy beëdig is.) (Teks deur mnr V J Krohn, Nasionale Feesdirekteur, RSA 20.)
Theme: National Events
Condition: FineGood condition. Minor wear or small imperfections, but overall well-presented.
Addressed: No
Signed: No
Stamp denomination: R0.2 (ZAR)
SG reference: 493-494
SAPO serial number: 3.29
Estimated value: ~US$0.06
This is a high-level, subjective estimate only, not a professional appraisal.
This first day cover (FDC) is part of Southern Covers, a private collection of 211 first day covers documenting the postal history and philately of South Africa and the homeland states. New to first day cover collecting? Read the guide to learn about cachets, postmarks, and stamp collecting terms, or browse the whole collection of Southern African FDCs.
