A suite of Permian Gondwana coals from southern Africa, exclusive of the Republic of South Africa, were examined petrographically. With the exception of a single low volatile bituminous/semi-anthracite coal from Mozambique, the coal rank is high volatile bituminous C. Most coals were dominated by inertinite-group macerals, primarily semifusinite and detrital inertinite (inertodetrinite), but with significant secretinite in some cases. Vitrinite-group macerals were absent in several Zambian coals. When considering these coals, it becomes apparent that not all Gondwana maceral types determined necessarily fit the ICCP definitions. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.