South Africa has unveiled new banknotes and coins, the country’s first significant currency upgrade in more than a decade.
The South African Reserve Bank (Sarb) announced the changes on Wednesday, stating that the changes were made to keep up with technology and prevent counterfeiting.
The image of Nelson Mandela, the country’s first democratically elected president who died in 2013, will remain on the new notes, which will go into circulation on Thursday.
The “Big Five” wild animals of Africa — rhino, elephant, lion, buffalo, and leopard — will now be depicted with their young on banknotes.
The coins will feature images of plants and animals with an ecological theme.
The various banknotes and coins will also include representations of South Africa’s 11 official languages.
There will also be physical characteristics to assist visually impaired people in distinguishing the banknotes.
There are no changes to the denominations or sizes of the banknotes.
According to Sarb, existing banknotes and coins will remain legal tender and can be used alongside the upgraded banknotes.
The notes will also be issued in Namibia, Eswatini, and Lesotho, which share a monetary zone with South Africa and have the rand as legal tender alongside their own currencies, according to Fundi Tshazibana, a deputy governor of the Sarb.
