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Modderfontein (South Africa)

Gauteng Province

image by Martin Grieve, 23 July 2005

Modderfontein

See also:

Modderfontein (c1972 - 1994)

Modderfontein is located on the east of the Witwatersrand conurbation (East Rand) and began as a mining town adjacent to the Modder River, hence its name which is Afrikaans for Modder spring or fountain.

The flag of Modderfontein comprised the shield from the municipal arms being placed in the centre of a white field. The shield can be described as a white saltire on a blue background superimposed in the middle of which are crossed hammers in black. Above the crossed hammers is a protea in its natural colours of red and green while below is a schematic representation of water in blue and white.

The protea, the national flower of South Africa, symbolises the commitment of Modderfontein to serving the country for the benefit of all its people. Modderfontein has served South Africa through the manifold skills needed for the various products and services produced in the town and by sharing this with the broader community, making the country a better place in which to live.

The crossed hammers symbolise industry and mining, the trademarks of the first products produced in the town. They also indicate an unbroken tradition of serving the country's industrial and mining sectors.

The water symbolises pure, clean spring water and alludes to the name given to the town.

scan by Bruce Berry, 11 Sept 2006

The blazon of the arms registered by the Bureau of Heraldry and granted to Modderfontein on 06 January 1972 is as follows:
ARMS: Azure, on a saltire Argent, between in chief a plate charged with a protea slipped and leaved proper and in base a heraldic fountain, dexter a sledge-hammer and sinister a wedge-hammer, handles downward, Sable
CREST: A grenade Sable flammant Gules, winged Or
WREATH AND MANTLING: Argent and Azure
SUPPORTERS: Two springbok proper, each gorged with a mural Crown Azure
MOTTO: PER INDUSTRIUM ET SCIENTIAM (With Industry and Knowledge).

Following the re-organisation of local government in December 1993, Modderfontein became part of the North East Rand Metropolitan Council and later was incorporated into the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality in December 2000. Accordingly this flag is no longer used.
Bruce Berry, 11 Sept 2006