{"id":869544,"date":"2026-08-09T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=869544"},"modified":"2026-08-07T17:38:44","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T15:38:44","slug":"new-r2-coin-becomes-legal-tender-in-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/finance\/869544\/new-r2-coin-becomes-legal-tender-in-south-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"New R2 coin becomes legal tender in South Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has declared a new commemorative R2 coin as legal tender in South Africa, effective from Women’s Day, 9 August.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new coin commemorates the 70th Anniversary of the 1956 Women\u2019s March to the Union Buildings, where more than 20,000 women of all races marched against apartheid pass laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The apartheid pass laws were some of the most reviled aspects of the system, used as a measure of control by the apartheid government to restrict and control the movement of black South Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While passes in various forms had existed throughout South Africa’s history, it was the Natives (Abolition of Passes and Co-ordination of Documents) Act of 1952 that proved the most egregious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contrary to its title, the Act did not abolish passes, but instead consolidated the older, fragmented pass documents into a single standardised book, which became commonly known as the hated ‘dompas’.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notably, black men were historically the main target of pass laws in South Africa, making up the bulk of the country’s migrant workforce. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Natives (Urban Areas) Act of 1923, as well as the 1945 amendments, all specifically targeted black men in their controls. However, the 1952 Natives Act brought black women into the fold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the laws were enacted in 1952, the apartheid government did not begin issuing permits to women until 1954 and reference books until 1956.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Resistance to the passes grew swiftly, among women, in particular, which culminated in the March to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956 to hand over petitions in a mass, peaceful protest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The protest was noted for the crowd standing in complete silence for more than 30 minutes outside the Union Buildings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It also ended with the crowd singing a freedom song that became famous: “Wathint’ Abafazi, Wathint’ imbokodo”, translated to “You strike a woman, you strike a rock”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It would be decades before the pass laws would be repealed and removed, with the documents underpinning many other protests, including the tragic Sharpeville Massacre of 1960.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The laws were only repealed in 1986. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The date of the Women’s March was established as an official public holiday in South Africa following the end of apartheid, with the first official National Women’s Day celebrated on August 9, 1995. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was codified under the Public Holidays Act (Act No. 36 of 1994), passed by the new democratic parliament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new R2 coin commemorates the women who rose up against the system, and features the prominent figures who stood up and led the charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The new coin joins four other new commemorative coins which entered circulation and became legal tender in June 2026 on Youth Day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These were three R2 coins designed around the theme of education, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1976 youth uprising, the 125th anniversary of Charlotte Maxeke’s graduation, and the 30th anniversary of the Constitution of South Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A R5 coin also entered circulation\u2014an education tribute coin featuring the designs of the three other coins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The commemorations are a special edition and are not a permanent change, such as\u00a0the 2023 refresh of South Africa\u2019s coin designs.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

R2 commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the 1976 Youth Uprising<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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R2 commemorating the 125th Graduation Anniversary of Charlotte Maxeke<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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R2 commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the Constitution of South Africa<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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R5 commemorating Education<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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