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Misunderstanding Between Somalis and South Africans Over the Use of the Coat of Arms and the Chairperson Election.


 Misunderstanding Between Somalis and South Africans Over the Use of the Coat of Arms and the Chairperson Election.

Written by: Mohamed Kosow Salat

In Johannesburg two days ago there was an election in the Somali community to elect a new community chairperson. Many South Africans misunderstood the event and thought that the Somali community was crowning a king in South Africa.

 Some believed that this was against the South African Constitution as foreign nationals may not establish traditional leadership structures in the country.

The controversy was heightened when the event’s organizers used the South African flag and the national Coat of Arms on posters and event material. This sparked a huge debate on social media platforms, especially TikTok where many people criticized the event and asked why South African national symbols were being used.

Tensions boiled over as anti-migrant groups, particularly those targeting African migrants, gathered outside the Somali embassy in Pretoria asking Somali officials for answers. Many thought the whole thing was a matter of misunderstanding and misinterpretation, others thought the organizers should have been more careful with the language and symbols used during the event.

The controversy attracted the attention of Gayton McKenzie, who called for a formal investigation into the alleged unauthorized use of the South African Coat of Arms by the Somali Association of South Africa. The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture stated that the use or reproduction of the national Coat of Arms without official authorization may violate the Heraldry Act of 1962.

In fact, the meeting was only to elect a Somali community chairperson, not to crown a king. The incident shows how easily misunderstandings can create tensions between communities in South Africa, especially on social media.


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