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SAICE coat of arms January 19, 2010  
SAICE Coat of Arms  

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The bridge over the image of water, which appears on the lower portion of the shield is a formalized version of the central feature of the old seal, the old Lourens River Bridge near Stellenbosch and Somerset West. A bridge represents, better than any other single symbol, all the main fields of civil engineering activity: transport and communication, structural and foundation engineering and hydraulic engineering.

The three golden annulets on a red background on the upper portion of the shield, originates from Van Riebeeck's Coat of Arms which also form part of the Coat of Arms of the Cape Province. This incorporation in our Coat of Arms serves to record the fact that the Institution originated as the Cape Society of Civil Engineers.

The blue crane which forms the crest, is unique to South Africa and symbolizes the South African sphere of influence and operations of the Institution. It is also a punning reference, characteristic of heraldry, to the civil engineer's construction equipment. It may be noted that, for on the Coat of Arms of the Institution of Civil Engineers, London, one of the supporters is a crane.

The motto could be translated as follows: build strongly, with a resolute mind. This motto stresses the importance of intellectual courage in the planning and execution of civil engineering works.

History

During 1964, SAICE registered a new coat of Arms, with the South African Bureau of Heraldry. It replaced the old "SAICE Seal" which was adopted by Council during 1953 (see Transactions, December 1953). The design of the seal consisted of a twospan stone arch bridge surrounded by a circular border in which was inscribed the Institution's name in English and Afrikaans and the year in which SAICE was founded. The particular bridge, which appeared on the seal, was the old Lourens River Bridge at Somerset West.

The formal description of SAICE's present Coat of Arms in heraldic terms is:

Arms: Azure, a one-arched bridge Or; on a chief Gules, three annulets Or and, in base, three barrulets wavy Argent.
Crest: On a wreath of the colours a blue crane proper.
Motto: Fortiter Conde Animo Forti.

The general significance of the Coat of Arms is as follows:

The bridge over the conventional representation of the water which appears on the lower portion of the shield is a formalised version of the central feature of the old seal, the old Lourens River Bridge. A Bridge represents, better than any other single symbol, all the main fields of civil engineering activity: transport and communication, structural and foundation engineering and, less directly, hydraulic engineering.

The three golden annulets on a red ground on the upper portion of the shield, originally derived from Van Riebeeck's Coat of Arms, also form part of the Coat of Arms of the Cape Province. Their incorporation in our Coat of Arms serves to record the fact that the Institution originated as the Cape Society of Civil Engineers.

The blue crane which forms the crest, is peculiar to South Africa and symbolises the South African sphere of influence and operations of the Institution. It is also a punning reference, characteristic of heraldry to the civil engineer's construction equipment. It may be noted that, for the Coat of Arms of the Institution of Civil Engineers, London, one of the supporters is a crane.

The motto (which may be translated as follows: build strongly, with a resolute mind) stresses the importance of intellectual courage in the planning and execution of civil engineering works.

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