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PADRAO
The stone beacon pillars which Portuguese explorers erected along the South African coast in the 1480s occasionally appear as charges, e.g. in the Divisional Council of Dias arms (BoH 1979).

PARACHUTE (Afr: VALSKERM)
An open parachute is found in the arms of several army parachute units, and in the personal arms of some military men. Example: the original arms of 101 Air Supply Unit.
 

PARTITION OF THE FIELD (Afr: SKILDVERDELING)
SA uses the various partitions of the field found in British heraldry, "per chevron" and "per fess" probably being the most popular. In addition, there are several locally-developed variants: per bend inclined in the flanks fesswise*, per bend serpentine, per chevron the peak ensigned with a potent*, per chevron coupled the peaks embattled, per fess nowy of a trimount to base*, per fess of a trimount*, per fess serpentine, per pale serpentine*, per fess urdy of three pallets, and tierced per pale serpentine.

PER BEND INCLINED IN THE FLANKS FESSWISE
(Afr: SKUINS IN THE FLANKE DEURSNEDE GEHEL)
A partition* of the field introduced in the arms of Mpumalanga* province in 1996. A more recent example is the municipal arms of Umngeni (BoH 2004), situated near the Howick Falls in KwaZulu-Natal.

PER CHEVRON THE PEAK ENSIGNED WITH A POTENT ISSUANT (Afr:
KEPERVORMIG DEURSNEDE DIE PIEK GETOP MET 'N UITKOMENDE KRUK)
A partition* of the field used in the arms of special schools* for handicapped children, which were registered between 1988 and 1994, e.g. those of the Re Tlameleng School (BoH 1994).
 

PER FESS NOWY OF A TRIMOUNT TO BASE
(Afr: DEURSNEDE EN OMGEKEERD DRIEBERGVORMIG)
A partition* of the field introduced in 1981, and used i.a. in the arms of some technical colleges* and technikons*. Its first appearance was in the arms of the Council for Social and Associated Workers (BoH 1981).

PER FESS OF A TRIMOUNT (Afr: DRIEBERGVORMIG DEURSNEDE)
A partition* of the field introduced in 1981 and used in a variety of arms, e.g. those of Petrus Visagie (BoH 1989).
 

PER PALE SERPENTINE (Afr: SLANGSNITSGEWYS GEDEEL)
A partition* of the field introduced in 1981 and often used to represent water, e.g. in the arms of the Department of Water Affairs (BoH 1985). The blazon must specify the direction of the curves, e.g. "the chief to sinister and the base to dexter".

PERSONAL ARMS — see Family Arms

PIED AT RANDOM (Afr: GEKOL VAN NATUURLIKE KLEUR)
A term introduced in 1998 to blazon the field of an African shield when depicted as its real-life oxhide surface, i.e. irregular patches of black (or brown) and white. A recent example is the arms of the Nquthu municipality in KwaZulu-Natal (BoH 2003).

PORTCULLIS (Afr: VALHEK)
Appears as a charge in banking sector arms. As the crest of the Somerset family (the Dukes of Beaufort), it was displayed in the arms of several towns founded by 19th-century Cape colonial governor Lord Charles Somerset, e.g. Somerset West (CoA 1953, BoH 1994).

POT
Traditional African clay pots are occasionally used as charges. Sometimes a generic pot, with or without decoration, is used, but in some arms a specific type is blazoned, e.g. a Khoi clay pot in the provincial arms of the Western Cape (BoH 1998).

PROTEA
SA's national flower* symbol made its heraldic début in 1912, and is well-known today in the arms of the National Sports Council (BoH 1994) worn i.a., by the national cricket team. The "proper" tinctures are red or pink petals, white seeds, and a green stalk and leaves.

In the mid-1970s, the BoH created some specific designs, exclusively for government use. They included an open flower, as seen from above, and a hybrid protea/fleur de lis. A protea cross* was also designed, but does not appear ever to have been used. A protea-inspired line of partition* was introduced in 1984.

PROTEA CROSS (Afr: PROTEAKRUIS)
An original SA cross*, consisting of four protea flowers slipped and leaved and conjoined in cross. Although devised in the 1970s, it has not yet appeared in a coat of arms.

"PROTEA" LINE
An original SA line*, consisting of a row of stylised protea flowers and blazoned as "invected each peak ensigned of a protea flower issuant". It was introduced in the arms of Johan Coetsee (BoH 1984), and there are also variants, with fir twigs, tulips, or ears of wheat instead of protea flowers.

PROVINCES (Afr: PROVINSIES)
Until 1994, SA consisted of four provinces, each with its own administration and arms: the Cape of Good Hope (CoA 1876, BoH 1967), Natal, Orange Free State, and Transvaal. The arms had originally been borne by the provinces' British colonial and Boer republican predecessors, and were formally recorded at the College of Arms in 1955. The administration of South West Africa, which was under SA rule, adopted arms in 1961; they became obsolete after SA rule ended in 1989.

The four old provinces were replaced in 1994 by nine new ones, whose governments adopted arms between 1996 and 2004: Eastern Cape*, Free State*, Gauteng*, KwaZulu-Natal*, Limpopo*, Mpumalanga*, North West (BoH 1999), Northern Cape*, and Western Cape*. The new arms have coronets, supporters, and special compartments.

PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATORS (Afr: PROVINSIALE ADMINISTRATEURS)
From 1949 (in Natal), 1951 (in the Transvaal) and 1953 (in the Cape and Orange Free State) to 1963 the administrators of the four provinces registered municipal arms - whether heraldically correct or not - in their respective provinces. From 1963 to 1969 they and their South West African counterpart, were authorised to grant* local authority arms too.

Nil

REGIONAL SERVICES COUNCILS
Most of the 46 former regional services councils (a.k.a. "joint service boards" and later "district councils") registered arms. They alluded to local agriculture, industry and landscape, e.g. a lobster (kreef) in the arms of the West Coast RSC (BoH 1991). RSC arms had triple-towered mural crowns*, and supporters which were always birds. RSCs have been replaced by district municipalities*.

REGISTRATION OF ARMS (Afr: REGISTRASIE)
Arms and other heraldic representations* can be registered in order to place ownership on record as protection* against misuse or usurpation*. Matriculation*, i.e. re-registration of personal arms in the names of descendants, was authorised in 1969. Since 1963, the Bureau of Heraldry* has been the registering authority. Applications are advertised in the Government Gazette to allow for objections from anyone who thinks that registration will encroach upon his/her rights. Registrations are also gazetted.

REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE (Afr: WAPENBRIEF)
Since 1966, the BoH has issued certificates for the arms and heraldic representations which it registers. The certificate displays a full-colour painting of the arms, the blazon, and the statement that "the arms as blazoned and illustrated above have been registered in terms of the Heraldry Act for .....". It is signed by the National Herald* and the chairman of the Heraldry Council*. It is sealed with the Bureau seal.

The original form of certificate, used in the 1960s and early 1970s, was larger and much more wordy, and appears to have been modeled on the letters patent issued by the British heraldry authorities.

REPTILES
Various reptiles are employed as charges. They include: the cobra, the crocodile, the salamander, the snake, and the tortoise.

RIGHT TO ARMS (Afr: WAPENREG)
Since 1652, SA has used Roman-Dutch law, which allows every person and organisation to bear arms as a right. Unlike the position in the UK, arms are not a form of honour, and it is not necessary to be "eminent" or "virtuous and well-deserving", or to petition for the privilege of bearing them. Arms can be acquired by means of assumption* (the usual method), or inheritance*, or by means of a grant*. They can be registered* at the Bureau of Heraldry, as protection* against misuse or usurpation*.

ROCK ART
Traditional San ("Bushman") rock art has been adapted to heraldic use, e.g. the stylised human figures in the new national arms* (BoH 2000). They were derived from the "Linton Panel" which is now in the SA Museum in Cape Town.

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
The Roman Catholic Church in SA has diocesan arms, and some parish arms, e,g, those of the Oratory of St Philip Neri (BoH 2004). Current practice is for bishops to assume arms which allude to their dioceses and themselves. Armigerous clergymen are entitled to display clerical hats (galeros) above their arms in lieu of crests.