I found myself in deep trouble searching for info of the South African Navy in connection with the heraldics of it. In the era before Nelson Mandela and the abolition of the apartheid (1994) the ship badges were like the british but with a red lion on top instead of the naval crown. It seems to be in 1997 (but I haven't found 100% sure evidence!) when all official heraldic were changed to new ones which represented the South Africa in a more "african" way. My enquiry goes on confirmation on the year and which logo South African Navy has before the shift.
Beneath are examples of ship badges before and after the change and the the present SAN logo. I'll hope some of you are able to provide me with correct information
![[ img ]](http://www.majhost.com/gallery/KimWerner/CoatOfArms/SouthAfrica/Before1997/sas_bloemfontein_skjold.png)
![[ img ]](http://www.majhost.com/gallery/KimWerner/CoatOfArms/SouthAfrica/From1997/sas_outeniqua_miniskjold.png)
![[ img ]](http://www.majhost.com/gallery/KimWerner/CoatOfArms/SouthAfrica/From1997/Templates/sanavy_badge.png){kind=icon}