The Order of Mapungubwe is South Africa's highest honour. It was instituted on 6 December 2002, and is granted by the president of South Africa, for achievements in the international area which have served South Africa's interests. The order originally had three classes, and was enlarged to four in 2004:
- Platinum (OMP), for exceptional and unique achievements,
- Gold (OMG), for exceptional achievements,
- Silver (OMS), for excellent achievements,
- Bronze (OMB), for outstanding achievements.
The order is named after Mapungubwe, an ancient African nation which existed a thousand years ago in what is now the northern part of the Limpopo province.
The first recipient of the order (in the Platinum class) was ex-president Nelson Mandela.
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“The universal principle of etymology in all languages: words are carried over from bodies and from the properties of bodies to express the things of the mind and spirit. The order of ideas must follow the order of things.”
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