The baobab tree is the inspiration for our logo. The baobab, while not unique to South Africa , is a nationally protected tree with a wealth of cultural significance. The baobab tree flourishes on the hot and sunny African plains and can be found in several African countries.
The logo links to the philosophy of Ubuntu. Archbishop Desmond Tutu explained Ubuntu as follows (2008): “One of the sayings in our country is Ubuntu – the essence of being human. Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can't exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can't be human all by yourself and, when you have this quality – Ubuntu – you are known for your generosity. We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole world. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.”
I n addition to environmental auditing and sustainable development being one of the themes of XX INCOSAI, the concept of “going green” is also the underlying theme of the congress as a whole. The baobab tree epitomises this theme, as every part of the tree can be used to sustain life: from the bark to the roots, the tree provides sustenance and shelter to the people of Africa .
Known in many parts as “the tree of life”, the baobab tree has always been the traditional meeting place for far-off tribes and villagers to come together and share their knowledge. Known as “kgotla” in Botswana and “lekgotla” in South Africa , this is the name given to a public meeting, community council or traditional law court of a village. It is usually headed by the village chief or headman, and community decisions are always arrived at by consensus.
By focusing on the “upside down” characteristic of this Southern African tree, the famous “roots” are transformed into human hands. Through the use of the baobab, the look is distinctly Southern African. This African style is furthermore enhanced through the use of a traditional African motive that binds the two arms together.
The two arms that come together carry various levels of meaning: on one level, the hands indicate the care and nurture of the environment. The growth of the world’s economic/financial future is also referred to through the caring hands, reaching into the sky – showing infinite possibilities. This is an optimistic and creative approach, which provides a subtle link to the other main theme of the congress, namely the Value and Benefits of SAIs .
The two arms vary in colour to lend depth to the tree, but also refer to the multi-cultural nature of South Africa and the international status of the event as well as those attending. On another level the logo depicts the hands-on approach that the Auditor-General of South Africa is taking to ensure a fruitful and enjoyable event.
The diamonds within the baobab tree not only provide a reference to the rich natural resources of South Africa and the African continent, they also create a direct link to the five official languages of INTOSAI. These language diamonds will be used throughout the 59 th Governing Board meeting and XX INCOSAI to differentiate clearly between the official languages and make them clearly visible.
Spanish – Yellow
English – Red
French – Green
German – Blue
Arabic – Brown (coffee colour)
