The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has formally unveiled two new R2 coins honouring Charlotte Maxeke and the women who took part in the 1956 Women’s March, following the official declaration of the coins as legal tender earlier in the month and back in June.
Key Takeaways
- New commemorative coins: The SARB has launched new R2 coins honouring Charlotte Maxeke and the women of the 1956 Women’s March, alongside coins marking the 1976 Youth Uprising and the Constitution.
- Historical significance: The designs commemorate pivotal moments in South Africa’s history, including the fight against apartheid and the country’s progress towards gender equality and education.
- Face value only: As with previous commemorative coins, these do not carry a higher value than their face value, since they are intended to mark milestones rather than serve as investment pieces.
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Reserve Bank Governor Pays Tribute at the Launch
During the launch event, Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago honoured the enduring legacy of South African women in the fight for liberation.
Kganyago shared with those attending the launch that he is hopeful the newly minted coins will motivate young South African women to chase after their ambitions.
He explained that this is a circulation coin, an everyday piece of currency, and that the sole distinction lies in the fact that it bears the likeness of this remarkable woman.
He went on to note that two coins were being launched at the event: one commemorating the graduation of the great Charlotte Maxeke, and the other honouring the women who had assembled just across the road from the venue.
Perspective From the Charlotte Mannya Maxeke Institute
Thulasizwe Makhanya, Chairperson of the Charlotte Mannya Maxeke Institute, remarked that South Africa ought to keep striving towards the freedom and equality that figures such as Charlotte Maxeke had fought so hard to secure.
He observed that, on many occasions, she held firm in her convictions and refused to be cowed by the men who dominated the circles of her era.
Makhanya further reflected that perhaps the hardest undertaking of all is to interpret and define Charlotte Maxeke in a way that is meaningful today, and to consider how she might have responded to the challenges society currently faces.
Makhanya encouraged the public to reflect on how Charlotte Maxeke might have reacted to issues such as gender-based violence, femicide, and the persistent inequality surrounding unequal pay.
He also called on South Africans to think about how she would have judged the performance of government and its institutions, as well as how she might have responded to the present-day leadership within the churches.
Coins Commemorating Education and the Constitution
Back in June, the SARB published, through official gazette, the specifications and designs of a new set of commemorative R2 and R5 coins, and these officially became legal tender on 16 June 2026.
The newly issued R2 coins are built around the theme of education, and they commemorate the following milestones:
- The 50th anniversary of the 1976 youth uprising
- The 125th anniversary of Charlotte Maxeke’s graduation
- The 30th anniversary of the Constitution of South Africa
The accompanying R5 coin serves as a tribute to education, and it features the designs of the various R2 coins reproduced on its reverse side.
As is the case with other commemorative coins of this kind, these pieces do not carry a value higher than their stated face value, since they are produced purely to mark significant milestones, events, and legacies rather than to serve as investment pieces.
Because commemorative coins retain only their face value, collectors typically value them for their design, rarity, or sentimental significance rather than for any resale premium, unless a coin was struck in a genuinely limited mintage.
A Look Back at Previous Commemorative Coins
South Africa has a long tradition of using coinage to mark significant national moments. Some notable examples from the past include:
| Year | Coin | Occasion Commemorated |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Inauguration R5 | Depicts the South African flag and a handshake, marking the country’s democratic transition |
| 2008 | R5 coin | Released to honour former President Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday |
| 2021 | R5 coin | Produced by the SA Mint to celebrate the centenary of the South African Reserve Bank |
Most recently, in 2021, the SA Mint produced an R5 coin specifically to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the founding of the South African Reserve Bank.
It is worth noting that this current set of commemorations represents a special, limited edition rather than a lasting change, which sets it apart from the broader refresh of South Africa’s coin designs that took place in 2023.
The Significance of Youth Day and the 1976 Uprising
The new coins officially attained legal tender status on 16 June 2026, a date observed nationally as Youth Day. This public holiday exists to commemorate the 1976 Soweto Uprising, an event that is now depicted on one of the new R2 coins.
On 16 June 1976, thousands of Black students took part in a peaceful protest against the apartheid government’s policy that mandated Afrikaans as the compulsory language of instruction in schools.
In response, police opened fire on the protesting students, an act that triggered months of unrest across the nation and stands as a defining moment in the broader struggle against apartheid.
Who Was Charlotte Maxeke?
Charlotte Maxeke stood out as a prominent community leader and political activist, and she holds the distinction of being the first Black woman in South Africa to graduate with a university degree.
She completed her Bachelor of Science degree at Wilberforce University in Ohio in 1901.
Once she returned home to South Africa, she threw herself into the fight for reform and rose to a position of prominence within the African National Congress (ANC).
She is frequently celebrated as the Mother of Black Freedom in South Africa, and a considerable number of organisations carry her name in her honour.
Within the field of education specifically, the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital in Johannesburg stands as a lasting tribute to her name.
Summary of the New Coin Designs
The full set of newly issued coins consists of the following:
- R2 commemorating the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Women’s March to the Union Buildings
- R2 commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Youth Uprising
- R2 commemorating the 125th graduation anniversary of Charlotte Maxeke
- R2 commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Constitution of South Africa
- R5 commemorating education
Conclusion
This new set of coins represents more than a routine update to South Africa’s currency, standing instead as a deliberate act of remembrance that places the achievements of Charlotte Maxeke and the courage of the 1956 Women’s March alongside the sacrifices of the 1976 youth uprising and the founding principles of the Constitution, all within the everyday pockets and purses of ordinary South Africans, ensuring that these histories remain visible, tangible, and impossible to forget as the nation continues striving towards the equality these figures fought so hard to achieve.
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