Johannesburg - New banknotes featuring an image of former president Nelson Mandela were expected to start circulating on Tuesday.
The notes would feature Mandela on the front and pictures of the “Big Five” animals on the back.
The old banknotes would still be legal.
Public awareness campaigns to inform locals of the change were run on television, radio and print advertisements as well as electronic media and social networking
Roadshows were also done all across the country as well as in Swaziland, Namibia, Lesotho, Mozambique, Botswana and Zimbabwe.
Reserve Bank governor Gill Marcus approved of the changes.
“We are proud to be able to honour South Africa's struggle icon and first democratically elected president in this way,” she said in a statement. - Sapa