Order of the Baobab
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The Order of the Baobab is a South African honour. It was instituted on 6 December 2002, and is granted by the president of South Africa for service to South Africa in the following fields: (i) business and the economy, (ii) science, medicine and technological innovation, and (iii) community service. Until the Order of Luthuli and the Order of Ikhamanga were established in 2004, the Order of the Baobab also covered service in the fields now covered by those orders.
The order has three classes:
- Supreme Counsellor (SCOB), for exceptional service,
- Grand Counsellor (GCOB), for distinguished service,
- Counsellor (COB), for dedicated service.
The order is named after the baobab tree, which was chosen as a symbol because of its endurance and tolerance, its vitality, its importance in agro-forestry systems, and its use as a meeting place in traditional African societies.
The badge of the order is a roughly rectangular plaque textured to represent baobab tree bark. In the centre is a baobab tree inside a circle inside a 9-sided green frame on a 9-spoked wheel. The polygons represent the nine provinces, and the many different areas in which people can contribute towards building a prosperous and advancing nation. The South African coat of arms is displayed on the reverse.
The ribbon is gold, with recurring cream-coloured baobab silhouettes down the centre. All three classes are worn around the neck.
