This image and its specifications were designed by the South African Department of Transport on behalf of SADC. The Copyright Act, 1978 (as amended), § 12 (8) (a) states "No copyright shall subsist in official texts of a legislative, administrative or legal nature, or in official translations of such texts.", therefore the specifications of this image are in the Public Domain within South Africa.

This convention becomes native legislation once adopted, and is therefore in the Public Domain in other signatory countries with similar copyright legislation regarding official documents of an administrative nature.

• Angola (Law on Author's Rights (No. 4/90 of 10 March 1990); "laws and decisions by judicial and administrative organs")
• Botswana (Chapter 68:02 Copyright and Neighboring Rights; "any official text of a legislative, administrative or legal nature, as well as any official translation thereof")
• Malawi (Copyright Act, 1989; "written laws and decisions of courts and administrative bodies as well as to official translations thereof; a report made by a commission of inquiry appointed by the Government or any agency thereof which is published by the Government")
• Mozambique (Law No. 4/2001 of 27 February 2001; "official texts of a legislative, administrative or judicial nature, or to official translations thereof")
• Tanzania (Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act; "laws and decisions of courts and administrative bodies as well as to official translations therefore")
• Zimbabwe (Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act; "official texts of enactments, bills prepared for presentation in parliament, official records of judicial proceedings and decisions, other material published in the Gazette, official texts of international conventions, treaties and agreements to which Zimbabwe is a party")