Last modified: 2006-10-21 by bruce berry
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image by Martin Grieve, 23 July 2005
Kempton Park was established in 1903 when Karl Wolff sub-divided a
portion of his Zuurfontein farm into residential stands and named the
new village Kempten after the Bavarian town of his birth. The name of
the town was later anglicised to Kempton Park. Kempton Park is located
north-east of Johannesburg and south of
Pretoria lying in the middle of
the two cities. In 1952 Jan Smuts Airport was built on land next to the
town, which later became the main gateway into South Africa for air
traffic and is now the busiest airport on the African continent. The
airport's name was changed to Johannesburg International Airport in the
late 1990s and more recently to OR Tambo International Airport (August
2006).
Kempton Park was declared a city in 1992 and became part of the
Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality following the re-organisation of
local government in South Africa in December 2000 and consequently its
municipal flag is no longer in use.
image
by Martin Grieve, 23 July 2005
On 31 March 1970 the Town Council of Kempton Park resolved to appoint Mr
JH Coetsee of the Bureau of Heraldry in Pretoria to design a municipal
flag. After various preliminary designs had been considered, the
Council finally resolved on 29 June 1970 to approve an amended design.
The flag consists of a royal blue background divided by a yellow-gold
horizontal stripe two-thirds from the top of the flag. In the canton
originally appeared a white globe with an aeroplane pointing towards the flagpole above the shield from
the municipal arms. This design was later changed with the globe and shield
having been substituted by the complete arms and crest as approved by the Bureau of Heraldry on 29
January 1969.
The gold of the arms represents the gold reef of the Witwatersrand of
which Kempton Park forms a part. The world globe at the head of the
crest on a blue background, over which is depicted an aircraft in gold,
symbolises the role of the town as a terminus of world airlines as South
Africa's primary international airport was located within the municipal
boundary of Kempton Park. The railway engine in gold on a sky blue
background represents the rail activities in the area. The green band
dividing the arms symbolises fertility and hope. Industrial development
is symbolised by a golden cog-wheel on a dark blue background. The
golden plough on a sky blue background and drills in light brown
symbolise agricultural activities. The whole shield is carried on a
scroll in gold and gold wings indicating progress, whilst the head of
the shield terminals is a gold link. The motto, IN HOC SIGNO
PROGREDIMUR means "Under this sign we shall prosper".
gt-kp.jpg)
scan
by Bruce Berry, 08 Sept 2006
The blazon of the Arms granted to Kempton Park by the Administrator of
the Transvaal on 23 March 1966 and later registered with the South African Bureau of
Heraldry on 29 January 1969 is as follows:
ARMS: Per fess Or and Azure, in chief a smoking locomotive with fender
Sable, in base a cogwheel and plough, Or
CREST: On a terrestrial globe, Azure and lined Or, an aeroplane in bend
sinister Argent
WREATH: Or and Azure
MOTTO: IN HOC SIGNO PROGREDIMUR (Under this sign we shall Prosper).
Bruce Berry, 08 Sept 2006