New South African Stamp, the first of 2024!
16/11/2024
SAPO (South African Post Office) has announced a new stamp for 2024, the ‘President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa’ issue of 16 November 2024. This year, 2024, coincides with the 30th anniversary of a democratic South Africa.
SAPO says that it has “been extremely quiet lately”. That is an understatement as all South Africa-collecting philatelists know. However, they also say “we are still standing strong and committed to stamps and to you. The current year has been rather slow but we’ll remedy the situation in the foreseeable future”. It sounds enticing but as we have learned in recent years we will have to wait and see what SAPO is capable of delivering.
SAPO’s stamp Issuing policy – that this exists might come as a surprise to many – requires that a stamp be issued in honour of the State President for each new term of office, hence the second President Ramaphosa stamp issue. The initial one was issued in 2019 when he was first elected President. Apparently, the issue date of 16 November 2024 marks exactly 150 days since Ramaphosa became the President of the seventh administration of a democratic South Africa when he was inaugurated on 19 June 2024. SAPO want us to believe this delay was planned. More likely it is due to incompetence!
Perhaps of interest to old-time stamp collectors is the fact that the Ramaphosa stamp has no value other than ‘B4’. The sheet of six B4 rate stamps is valued at R92.70c or R15.45c ea. It was adapted by Thea Clemons, Senior Graphic Designer, SAPO, from the image supplied by the Government PR team. The image and layout are in accordance with the overall design style of the 2024 Inauguration. There will be no commemorative envelope or First Day Cover, however there is a Commemorative Stamp Card instead.
Costs:
6 B4 stamp x 1 sheet = 6 x R15,45c = R92,70c
1 Commemorative Stamp Card = R21,45c
Apparently, according to SAPO, “the Ramaphosa sheetlets and Date Stamp cards will be available for sale from 20/January /2024.” Surely, they mean ‘2025’!
NOTE: SAPO states that “the last Year Pack was issued in 2019. The 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 Year Packs are not yet available due to the limited number of stamps issued but they shall be combined into one pack in 2025”. We must continue to live in hope.
TO BUY THIS CONTROL BLOCK and or FIRST DAY COVER, please contact:
“Danie van Zyl” danie@worldstamps.africa
Read other news about South African philately and postal history
