JOHANNESBURG (AP) — New South African banknotes featuring the image of Nelson Mandela, the nation’s former president and anti-apartheid icon, are going into circulation.
Reserve Bank Governor Gill Marcus made the first purchase using the new rand notes at a small shop in Pretoria on Tuesday. She said the country tries to upgrade its notes every seven years for security reasons as technologies change.
The new 10-, 20-, 50-, 100- and 200-rand banknotes feature Mr. Mandela’s image on one side, and the other side maintains the Big Five animals already on the bills.
Ms. Marcus said that Mr. Mandela was shown the new banknotes and that he was delighted.
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