This article lists the flags of the various colonies and states that have existed in South Africa since 1652, as well as other flags pertaining to South Africa, including governmental, military, police and provincial flags.
The following flags have been used as the national flag of the Union of South Africa and the Republic of South Africa:
| Flag | Date | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910–1957 | Blue field on which the Cross of Saint Andrew counterchanged with the Cross of Saint Patrick, over all the Cross of Saint George fimbriated. | ||
| 1910–1912 | A British Red Ensign with the shield of the coat of arms of the Union of South Africa. | ||
| 1912–1928 | A British Red Ensign with the shield of the coat of arms of the Union of South Africa on a white roundel. | ||
| Flag of South Africa 1928–1994 | Orange, white, and blue horizontal stripes, on the white stripe, a backwards Union Flag towards the hoist, the Orange Free State flag hanging vertically and the flag of the South African Republic, towards the fly. Used for both the Union and later Republic of South Africa | ||
| Flag of South Africa 1994–present | Two horizontal bands of chilli red (top) and blue (bottom) with a black triangle at the hoist, over all a green horizontal (pall) (Y-shape), fimbriated white against the red and blue and gold against the black. |
See also: South Africa Red Ensign.
| Flag | Date | Use | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1652 - 1795 | A horizontal triband of orange, white and blue. | |||
| 1652 - 1795 | A horizontal triband of red, white and blue. The blue is a lighter shade than that of the current national flag | |||
| 1652 - 1795, 1803 - 1806 | ||||
| 1795 - 1801 | the Flags of England and Scotland superimposed. | |||
| 1801 - 1803 | The flag was used in the occupation of The Dutch Cape Colony until 1803, only to be reintroduced in 1806. | |||
| 1803 - 1806 | A horizontal triband of red, white and blue with the Republic’s emblem in the canton. | |||
| 1839 - 1843 | ||||
| 1857 - 1902 | ||||
| 1857 - 74, 1875 - 77, 1881–1902 | South African Republic (Transvaal Republic) | ('Vierkleur') | ||
| 1870 - 71 | ('Diamond flag') | |||
| 1870 - 71 | ('Klipdrift flag') | |||
| 1874–1875 | South African Republic (Transvaal Republic) | ('Thomas François Burgers's Voortrekker flag'). A red saltire outlined in white on a dark blue field. | ||
| 1875–1910 | ||||
| 1876–1910 | A blue ensign defaced with the shield-of-arms of Cape Colony | |||
| 1883–1885 | ||||
| 1883 | ||||
| 1883–1885 | ||||
| 1884–1888 | ||||
| 1890–1891 | ||||
| 1902–1910 | A blue ensign defaced with a springbok antelope in a disc[1] | |||
| 1904–1910 | A blue ensign defaced with a disc showing a lion lying on an African plain with palm trees.[2] | |||
| 1910–1912 | Union of South Africa (Merchant flag) | |||
| 1912–1951 | Union of South Africa (Merchant flag) | |||
| 1910–1928 | Union of South Africa (State Ensign and naval jack) |
See also: Flag of South Africa (1928–1994).
| Flag | Date | Use | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910–1957 | The flag was a co-official flag until 1957 when the flag of the Union of South Africa became the sole official flag. | |||
| 1928–1982 | The flag using a darker shade of "Union" blue common before the early 1980s. | |||
| 1982–1994 | The flag using a lighter shade of "Solway" blue as specified by the South African government in 1982. |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966–1994 | ||||
| 1973–1994 | ||||
| 1973–1994 | ||||
| 1973–1994 | ||||
| 1973–1994 | ||||
| 1974–1994 | ||||
| 1975–1994 | ||||
| 1977–1985 | KwaZulu (1) | |||
| 1982–1994 | ||||
| 1985 - 1994 | KwaZulu (2) |
As a result of the sporting boycott of South Africa over its policy of apartheid, South Africa did not participate in the Olympic Games between 1964 and 1988. The country was re-admitted to the Olympic movement in 1991.[3] As a result of a dispute over what flag and national anthem to use following readmission, the team participated in the 1992 Summer Olympic Games under the National Olympic Committee flag. The flag consisted of a white field charged with grey diamond, which represented the countries mineral wealth, three cascading bands of blue, red and green, which represented the sea, the land and agriculture respectively and the Olympic rings.[4] [3] This flag was also used to represent the South African team at the 1992 Summer Paralympics. Team uniforms included the emblem of Olympic Committee of South Africa, which depicted Olympic rings surrounded by olive branches, with the name of the country above. The team would use Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" as its victory anthem at these games. At the 1994 Winter Games, South Africa participated under the flag of its Olympic committee.
See main article: South African Naval Ensign.
Between 1910 and 1994, South Africa was divided into four provinces, Cape Province, Natal, Orange Free State and Transvaal. These provinces had their own coat of arms but not their own flags.
In April 1994, South Africa was divided into nine provinces. Each province was granted a coat of arms, in most cases designed by State Herald Frederick Brownell. Currently only one province, Mpumalanga, has adopted an official provincial flag, doing so in February 1996.[5] The other eight provinces can be represented by white banners charged with their coats of arms.
The government of South Africa opened a competition open to the public. While the "Walker Flag" had some support, ultimately none of the designs were chosen.[6] [7]
In 1927, the government set up a flag commission, which came up with three designs, the "Cross Flags". Due to the opposition insisting on the Union Jack being featured, the commission created three more designs at the Flag Conference in April and May of 1927.
In June of 1927, the South African Party proposed a flag with four elements divided by a white cross, and the government proposed a version with a shield defacing the Prinsenvlag. The Senate then combined elements from both into a third proposal. Finally, in October of 1927, a compromise was reached and the Flag of South Africa (1928–1994) was introduced.
In the 1960s, there was pressure to change the flag, particularly from Afrikaners who resented the fact that the Union Flag was a part of the flag. The then prime minister, Dr Hendrik Verwoerd, had his assistant secretary, HC Blatt, design a "clean" flag, comprising three vertical stripes of orange, white, and blue, with a leaping springbok over a wreath of six proteas in the centre, designed, but he was assassinated before he could introduce it, and the project died with him in 1966.[8]
The Natal Witness newspaper held a competition for a new flag design, which was won by Lalsingh Ramlukan with a design featuring four cupped hands and a blue dove.
The Commission on National Symbols proposed six designs in October 1993.[9]
A group of professional graphic design studios proposed several flag designs in November 1993.[9]
The Joint Technical Working Committee shortlisted 5 designs in February 1994. A further design was proposed also by the African National Congress (ANC) based on a design shortlisted in October 1993. Proposal 4, designed by State Herald Frederick Brownell, was submitted to the Transitional Executive Council and approved as the final choice for the new flag.[9]