
Last modified: 2007-07-14 by bruce berry
Keywords: blue crane route municipality | 
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by Martin Grieve, 27 June 2007
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by Martin Grieve, 27 June 2007
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The Blue Crane Route Municipality is situated in the north of the
Eastern Cape Province and comprises the urban areas of 
Somerset East, Cookhouse and Pearston, that were amalgamated following the re-organisation 
of local government in South Africa in December 2000. The name of the 
municipality is derived from "The Blue Crane Route" which follows the national 
road (N10) from Pearston, via Somerset East, to Cookhouse. Somerset East is the 
main centre and was established by Lord Charles Somerset in 1825. It is situated 
at the foot of the Boschberg Mountain and is a quaint, serene little town that 
is famous for its natural beauty and many beautiful national monument buildings.
The new flag adopted by the municipality comprises the new municipal arms in the 
centre of a dark blue field. The Arms were registered with the South African 
Bureau of Heraldry on 24 March 2005 (under Notice Number 246 in the Government 
Gazette No. 27396) with the following blazon:
ARMS:     Per pale serpentine Azure and Argent, to sinister 
in chief and to dexter in base, and per fess serpentine Azure and Argent, dexter 
to base and sinister to chief, in chief two blue cranes proper and in base per 
chevron Vert, the peak crennelated, charged with four wavy bendlets sinister, 
Argent and Azure.
MOTTO:  TOLERANCE, TRUST, TENACITY
ec-bcr.jpg) scan by Bruce Berry, 27 June 2007
 
scan by Bruce Berry, 27 June 2007
The Arms take the form of a traditional African shield divided by an "S", the 
upper part in which is found two Blue Cranes, the national bird of South Africa 
and in the lower part is a representation of the Boschberg mountain and streams. 
The Blue Cranes refer to the name of the municipality and are indigenous to this 
area. The representation of the mountain alludes to the area's natural beauty 
and the streams which originate in the mountains.
Bruce Berry, 27 June 2007