South Africa .za

Meaning of the Flag

The national flag of South Africa was designed in March 1994 and adopted on 27 April 1994, during South Africa's 1994 general election, to replace the previous flag used from 1928–1994. The flag has horizontal bands of red (on the top) and blue (on the bottom), of equal width, separated by a central green band which splits into a horizontal "Y" shape, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side (and follow the flag's diagonals). Three of the flag's colours were taken from the flag of the South African Republic, itself derived from the flag of the Netherlands, and the Union Jack, while the remaining three colours were taken from the flag of the African National Congress. Each was also entitled to a colonial flag, in keeping with the British tradition. In 1968, the then Prime Minister, John Vorster, proposed the adoption of a new flag from 1971, to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the declaration of a republic, but this never materialised.

Flag History

1. 1652
   A version of this flag had been used as the flag of the Dutch East India Company (known as the VOC) at the Cape (with the VOC logo in the centre) from 1652 until 1795.
2. 1928–1982
   

   Finally, a compromise was reached, resulting in the adoption of a separate flag for the Union in late 1927, and the design was first hoisted on 31 May 1928.
3. 1928–1994
   

   Due to the lack of popularity of these flags, there were intermittent discussions about the desirability of a more distinctive national flag for South Africa after 1910, it was only after a coalition government took office in 1925 that a bill was introduced in Parliament to introduce a national flag for the Union.
4. 1994–present
   

   Current national flag, in use since 1994.

Location