South Africa’s journey to becoming a democracy will be the theme of an International Philatelic Exhibition to be held in the Western Cape next week.
The event will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
Stamp collectors from some 40 countries across the world are due to showcase their collections at the exhibition.
Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Philly Mapulane, says a limited edition exhibition stamp that the South African Post Office staff have designed will be unveiled during the exhibition.
“It is organised under the theme The Road to Democracy. So basically, to sort of take us through memory lane of where we come from as a country to where we are as a democracy from before 1994, from the time of colonialism, from the time of apartheid, the struggle against apartheid and all of that. So, it is going to celebrate that; the road that we travelled up to where we are.”
Mapulane says this year’s theme has particular significance for South Africa socially and politically and is a continuation of the celebration of the country’s reintegration into the global community of democratic nations.
Speaking on the role of the Post Office, Mapulane says: “The South African Post Office has over the
years been central not only in the development of philatelic material but also in making it possible to keep in touch with the world. After our transition to democracy, the South African Post Office ensured that the history of our nation was presented to the world in a positive and accurate context while ensuring that we celebrate important milestones and recognise those behind these milestones.”
