The Republic of South Africa uses one of the most interesting flags in the world. The canvas is filled with color and symbolism. How did the flag appear and what does each element mean?
The history of the banner
The standard was adopted in April 1994. This happened during the first free elections that marked the end of apartheid in South Africa. The flag was developed by professionals, representatives of political parties and various private individuals. An impressive number of options were proposed for consideration - more than seven thousand. The best project, which was chosen as the flag of South Africa, was the work of Theo Stilianides and heraldmeister Frederic Brownell. He was introduced to the public in early March, officially entered on April 27, and the 28th solemnly raised in public. The flag of South Africa was also hoisted at the inauguration of Nelson Mandela, which took place on May 10.
Modern look and previous options
The flag used in South Africa is the most multicolored in the world. The cloth has a rectangular shape with a proportion of length to width as three to two. It uses six colors, which, according to the idea of the developers, symbolize the connection of the past of the country with its present. At the top right is a red inverted trapezoid. Below - the same figure in blue. In the middle is a green stripe. At the pole there is a black triangle, the edges of which are outlined by a yellow border. Before the appearance of such a symbol in South Africa, the flag belonged to the Union and was red, with the flag of Great Britain at the top of the flagpole. On the right was the emblem in a round field, which had several options in different years of the state’s existence. The modern flag of South Africa, whose photographs and images are known throughout the world, is raised on solemn state occasions. According to the rules, it should be placed on the rightmost flagpole when used with other panels. In such cases, it is lifted first, and lowered last. Every citizen who observes this ceremony should stand still with his right hand attached to his heart.
Color meaning
Each color is of particular importance to the history of South Africa. The flag is associated with all countries and peoples that have influenced the development and formation of the state. Thus, a red inverted trapezoid represents the UK, the former colonizer, as well as the country's population using English. The bottom blue figure represents the Boers and the state of the Netherlands. The green bar refers to the rights of residents born of mixed marriages and practicing the Islamic religion. The black triangle, which is located near the pole, is a symbol of the struggle of black Africans for rights and freedom. The yellow border framing it recalls the Native American population who lives in the southern part of the country.
State emblem
The flag and coat of arms representing South Africa are closely connected with the history of the country. Despite the fact that both symbols have been used not so long ago, they clearly reflect the past of the state. Like the flag used by South Africa, the coat of arms includes many colors. It is a yellow shield framed by a border of ocher color. In the same color, it depicts two human figures, faces facing each other and joining hands bent at the elbow in a welcome gesture. The shield is framed by wheat ears, and crossed spears and a mace are located above it. Above is a pectoral of nine triangles, made in red, green, orange and black colors and connected by five spiky shapes. They are fan-shaped. Above is another row of triangles, this time made in a sand tint. This combination depicts a protea flower. This plant from the artichoke family is the national symbol of the Republic of South Africa. Above it is an image of a secretary bird with wings spread. It symbolizes growth and speed. Above, there are seven orange figures with a fan, and the whole composition is framed by a pair of elephant tusks, which are designed to depict wisdom, eternity, moderation and strength. They are connected by a green ribbon with an inscription in the Hoisan language that has disappeared from use. It reads: “Diverse people, unite” - and thus symbolizes the complex multinational composition of the population of the Republic of South Africa, with difficulty having achieved the peaceful coexistence of its population.