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South Africa (1928-1994)

Suid-Afrika / Unie van Suid-Afrika (until 1961) / Republic of South Africa / Republiek van Suid-Afri

image by Clay Moss, 07 Dec 2005

Flag of 1928-1994

Following the Union of South Africa , that is the joining of the former colonies of Natal, Cape, Transvaal and Orange River on 31 May 1910, South Africa used defaced red and blue ensigns. Having suffered defeat in the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902), many South Africans particularly of Boer extraction found these flags unacceptable. Discussions about a new flag had taken place from time to time but were interrupted by such pressing issues as World War I and achieving Dominion Status within the British Empire etc. and it was only in 1925 that the matter began to receive renewed attention. The Balfour Declaration adopted at the Imperial Conference of 1926 defined in general terms the mutual constitutional relationship of the self-governing members of the British Empire (later Commonwealth) whereby Great Britain and the dominions were "equal in status, in no way subordinate to one another" and as such South Africa, as an independent state was entitled to a flag of its own. The flag issue in South Africa was also considered along with the question of nationality.

The issue of inclusion of the Union Jack proved to be a very emotional subject, with the English-speakers on the one side demanding its inclusion and the Afrikaners (Boers) seeing its a symbol of British imperialism demanding it be excluded! A number of proposals were put forward but it was not until the Prinzenvlag design based on the House of Orange that consensus began to emerge. This design was based on the commonly held view that Jan van Riebeeck has raised an orange, white and blue horizontal tricolour when he arrived at the Cape in April 1652. The original design had a quartered shield in the centre, each quarter having a symbol to represent the territories making up the Union. Various other designs were submitted to a Parliamentary Committee which had been established to resolve the issue but none found favour.

The compromise design eventually adopted saw the flag of the Republic of the Orange Free State hanging vertically in the centre of the white stripe of the Prinzenvlag with the Union Jack spread horizontally towards the hoist from the centre and the flag of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (Transvaal) spread towards the fly. In terms of the Union Nationality and Flags Act of 1927 South Africa had two flags, namely the Union Jack to denote association with the British Commonwealth of Nations and a national flag described as being:
"Three horizontal stripes of equal width from top to bottom, orange, white, blue; in the centre of the white stripe the old Orange Free State Flag hanging vertically, spread in full, with the Union Jack adjoining horizontally, spread in full, towards the pole, and the old Transvaal Vierkleur adjoining horizontally spread in full away from the pole, equidistant from the margins of the white stripe. The flags shall be of the same size and their shape shall be proportionally the same as the National Flag and the width of each equal to one-third of the width of the white stripe". This Act came into force on 31 May 1928 when both the new national flag and the Union Jack were hoisted together for the first time at simultaneous ceremonies at the Houses of Parliament in Cape Town and at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. The flags first hoisted at Parliament are now on display in the Old Assembly chamber.

image by Clay Moss, 07 Dec 2005

The dual flag arrangement continued until 06 April 1957 when the Government brought it to an end with the Flags Amendment Act. This Act also provided for the sole national anthem of South Africa to be Die Stem van Suid-Afrika/The Call of South Africa without "God Save the Queen" despite Queen Elizabeth II still being head of state. South Africa withdrew from the British Commonwealth of Nations and became a republic on 31 May 1961. No changes were made to the national flag or anthem.

The flag, commonly known as the oranje-blanje-blou (orange, white and blue) continued to fly until it was replaced on 27 April 1994 by the flag representing a democratic South Africa.
Bruce Berry, 01 Feb 1998

What are the colour specifications of the former (1928-1994) South African flag in (BS) RGB values?
NB: Blue was BCC 150 Lapis Lazuli in the British Colour Council's "Dictionary of Color Standards".
Mark Sensen, 15 Jun 2002

The only colour specifications I could find for the old SA flag in the old British Standard Colour Classifications are:

Orange
Blue
Green
Red

Bruce Berry, 03 Jul 2002

Regarding the shade of blue on the former South African flag, the blue stripe was originally described as being "solway" blue but over the years, as can be expected given that South African flags originally came from the UK, the blue stripe changed to the darker "Union Jack blue" until the blue stripe became almost black. This prompted a return to the lighter "solway blue" shade following a Government investigation into the matter in 1982.

Speaking to flag manufacturers on this matter yesterday, all agreed that they used the same shade of blue for the blue stripe and in the Union Jack and Vierkleur flags in the centre of the flag as well.

The other shades in the flag were described as "Spectrum orange", "Green Beetle" and "Union Jack red" with the BCC classifications as indicated above.
Bruce Berry, 06 Dec 2005

Research into the controversy surrounding what flag was used by Jan van Riebeeck when he started his replenishment station in Table Bay on 6 April 1652 reveals the following as outlined in my forthcoming book on SA flags:

"Van Riebeeck makes no mention in his Journal that he hoisted a flag, but it is assumed that he did. There is considerable controversy as to which flag Van Riebeeck might have hoisted. The flag generally used by Dutch vessels at, or before that time was in the colours of the House of Orange in honour of the Prince of Orange, the Stadtholder of the Netherlands. It was the orange, white and blue horizontal tricolour or Prinzenvlag. It was originally used by the so-called Watergeuse or Waterbeggars at sea during their struggle against the Spanish during the Eighty-Year's War and by the end of the war it was firmly established as the national flag of the Netherlands Republic. It is considered that the flag had its origins with the flag of the Province of Zealand which was red, white and blue horizontally. The red was then replaced by orange in honour of William the Silent, Prince of Orange and its first appearance as this Prinzenvlag occurred circa 1572.

Later, towards the middle of the next century, the orange was again replaced by red. The reason for the change of the orange colour to red is not known with certainty, but some authorities ascribe it to the fact that the orange coloured dye was not easy to make and did not remain colour-fast.

Van der Laars, an authority on the flags of the Netherlands, states that from about 1648 and certainly by 1663, the orange had changed to red, and the orange, white and blue tricolour was replaced by the red, white and blue tricolour of today. The point in dispute is whether it was already red at the time of Van Riebeeck's arrival, or still orange. According to Van der Laars, it is likely that it was still the orange version.

Gerard in Flags over South Africa (1952) however, makes out a good case that it was already red. He quotes sources, which indicates that most of the bunting used by the Dutch at that period came from India. Proof of this exists in the archives of Zealand (7.11.1630), which records the delivery of six rolls of bunting, red, white and blue. An advertisement in the Navorsher of 1634 mentions ten rolls of bunting, red, white and blue and in 1653 there is mention of many bales of sater - Indian cotton, dyed red, white and blue. The Indian dyers used kurkuma (turmeric) to which they added kav - a reddish rocky material - in order to obtain the orange colour used to dye the khadi-material (loosely hand-woven cotton cloth which we call bunting) to orange. This kav-stone was ground into a fine dust and then mixed with oil, water and turmeric
wherein the khadi-cloth was then soaked. In order to obtain a rich orange colour, more kav and less turmeric was used by the Indian dyers and in time
the orange changed to a flame red colour. *

Gerard also states that in many of the paintings of the Thirty Year's War (1618 - 1648), the ensigns of the Netherlands are clearly already indicated as red, white and blue. He further states that it is therefore clear that when Jan van Riebeeck arrived at the Cape he did so with flags which were already using flame red instead of orange. Dr Pama in his book Lions and Virgins (1965) produces evidence that on 14 August 1654 Jan van Reinbeck ordered rolls of red, white and blue bunting from Batavia in order to make flags for the fort and ships at the Cape. This seems to confirm Gerard's view. However, Pama also found an instruction by Van Riebeeck dated 22 August 1653 to the garrison and visiting ships that on the sighting of approaching vessels, the Princevlag (his spelling) must be hoisted over the Fort and the same must be done by the approaching vessels. This was obviously meant as a recognition signal during the time of the First Anglo-Dutch War. Pama explains this contradiction with the view that there was at that time not a great deal of importance attached to whether the upper bar was orange or red, with red probably only regarded as a discolouring of orange. The red took on political importance only during the decades of struggle for power between the States-General of the Netherlands and the Princes of Orange which ended with the confirmation in power of William III in 1672 as Stadtholder and Captain-General of the Dutch forces. The instruction for the signal was arrived at in consultation with Captain Douwe Aukes, captain of the Phenix who was strongly in favour of the orange bar in the flag. The year before he had been in command of another East Indiaman Struisvogel and participated with her in the encounter between the hostile English and Dutch fleets off Plymouth in 1652. It was during this naval battle that the colour of the flag had become a political question and the Dutch sailors refused to fight under any other flag than the orange-white-and blue. The reason for the politicising of the flag was the refusal of the States-General to appoint a member of the House of Orange as head of the government and expressed its enmity by changing the orange to red in the national flag. This decision was strongly resented by the people, especially the sailors. He also quotes the Dutch historian J.C. de Jonge who in his authoritative work on the maritime history of the Netherlands writes as follows: "At least until October 1653 the old Princevlag was still in use by the Netherlands navy" and he shows that between 1653 and 1660 the States-General's red-white-blue flag was generally introduced because of the enmity between the States and the House of Orange. Pama's opinion is that when Van Riebeeck ordered the red bunting he was simply conforming to his superiors instructions and following their declared policy for changing the orange to red".

I am of the opinion that no matter whether it was red or orange, Jan van Riebeeck probably used the VOC flag over the fort. He was after all a servant of the Dutch East Indies Company and not of the States-General. What is certain is that the Dutch tricolour was most definitely already red, white and blue fully a century before the First British Occupation of the Cape.
Andries Burgers, 02 June 2005

* Gerard claims that he obtained this information from Professor P.K. Gode, curator of the Bhandakar Oriental Research Institute in Poona, India. He unfortunately does not provide his other sources or dates.

This was interesting to read. One conclusion could be, that it is not possible to set a date for the change of orange into red of the Dutch flag, because it was made during a span of time. Is that right?

If the change would have been made by some decision, who would have decided on this? The States General, the Stadholder or someone else?
Elias Granqvist, 06 June 2005

Pending evidence to the contrary, this is (given the so far available data) the only conclusion possible. None the less, we now have a definitive date from which we may say that the change was "documented", and visual proof (upon which we can place reasonable reliance) that the change had become officially recognized by 1665.
Christopher Southworth, 06 June 2005

The South African Flag Controversy (1927)

The Afrikaners - Boere; Voortrekkers; or South African Dutch (according to the English) - in spite of being a mixture of Dutch, French, German and quite a few other nationalities, including Khoi, cherished their Dutch connections for most of the nineteenth century during their increasingly bitter struggles against British imperialism. There is still in Afrikaans today a saying: "Die Kaap is weer Hollands" ("The Cape is Dutch again") meaning everything is all right again. This came about when the Cape was returned to the Batavian Republic at the Peace of Amiens in 1803. Three years later the British were back again for the next 160 years. After the turmoil of the Great Trek when the Voortrekkers left the Cape Colony for the interior, they established the Republic of Natalia and not surprisingly chose the red, white and blue of the old Dutch "Driekleur" (three colour), but with the white an inverted pile, as their flag. This republic did not last long as in 1843 it was annexed by the British who could not stand the thought of British subjects simply trekking away from their allegiance, however unwilling, to the crown.

In the 1850's the British suffered a bout of anti-colonialism and abandoned the countries to the north of the Orange River to their fate. In 1854, the Boere in the Trans-Oranje, established the Republic of the Orange Free State (Oranje Vrijstaat). On the day of independence they hoisted the Driekleur for lack of their own flag. This flag they called the Bataafsche Vlag in memory of the Batavian Republic, they having of course no experience with the Dutch Kingdom established in 1816. The first president, Josias Hoffman, then wrote to a friend of the Voortrekkers in Holland asking him to approach King Willem III for the grant of a flag and a coat of arms for the new republic. This must be a unique event in the history of both vexillology and heraldry - a republic asking a monarch to grant a flag and arms? The upshot of all this was the old Orange Free State flag with the Driekleur in the canton and the three orange and four white bars.

The Transvalers took a while longer to find unity and establish an organised state, but in 1856 they finally adopted a constitution and a flag. The committee who decided on the design of the Transvaal Vierkleur (four colour) was advised by the Reverend Dirk van der Hoff, his brother Marthinus and Jacobus Stuart, all born Hollanders. The result was the Driekleur (three colour) with a vertical green bar added along the hoist. The continued attachment of the Boere to the old Driekleur and their Dutch heritage comes out clearly in the flag designs which they adopted for these three republics.

After the Anglo Boer South African War (1899-1902) and the formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910, the British Union Jack became the national flag of the united South Africa. The Red and Blue ensigns with the Union coat of arms in the fly, were granted by British Admiralty warrants in 1910 (amended in 1912) for use at sea as was the case all over the British Empire. They were not intended as national flags for the Union although some people used them as such (especially the Red Ensign). It was only in 1925, after the first post-Union Afrikaner government took office, that a Bill was introduced in parliament to make provision for a national flag for the Union of South Africa. This action immediately led to some three years of civil strife and near civil war. The British thought that the Boere wanted to do away with their cherished Imperial symbols. The province of Natal even threatened to secede from the Union. A compromise was finally reached which resulted in the adoption of a flag for the Union late in 1927 and which was first hoisted on 31 May 1928. This was based on the so-called Van Riebeeck flag, which was in reality the old Princevlag, of orange, white and blue horizontal stripes with three smaller flags centred in the white stripe. These 'flaglets' were the British Union Jack towards the hoist, the Orange Free State Vierkleur hanging vertically and the Transvaal Vierkleur towards the fly. The choice of the Prinzenvlag as the basis of the new flag had more to do with finding an acceptable compromise (the Prinzenvlag supposedly being the first flag hoisted on South African soil - although this is not at all certain - and being a neutral design as it was no longer a current national flag) than having anything to do with Afrikaner political desires. A further part of the compromise was that the British Union Jack would continue to fly alongside the Union national flag everywhere over official buildings. South Africa was thus one of a few countries in the world, as far as I am aware, that flew two national flags simultaneously! This situation continued until 1957 when the Union Jack was finally dispensed with by an Act of Parliament.

Sources: "The South African Flag Controversy" by Henry Saker, Oxford University Press, Cape Town, 1980;
"Die Vlae van Suid-Afrika" by Dr C. Pama, Tafelberg Publishers, Cape Town, 1984;
"SAVA Journal SJ: 4/95: The History of Flags of South Africa before 1900".
Andre Burgers, 18 Jan 2001

Although it was taken into use in 1928, the parliamentary debate on the orange-white-blue flag took place in 1927, so it is frequently referred to as the flag of 1927. Looking at your page on flag proposals, I notice that one particularly insulting nickname of the House of Assembly’s proposal – the one which stuck – is not mentioned.

The National Party, which had a slender majority and was in government, was not able to prevent this flag design from being approved, but maintained that the shield was no more than a scab which would in due course fall away. The shield flag was for many years known as the “scab flag” – possibly because the only people who referred to it in public were the radical Nationalists (especially Dr D F Malan’s Gesuiwerde Nasionale Party which abandoned the coalition government of 1934).

Dr Malan’s preference was for the Princevlag, so for him the “scab” (the quartered shield) was totally unacceptable. Yet his party (the Herenigde Nasionale Party which won the 1948 general election) quite happily accepted the 1928 flag (despite the presence of the Union Jack), and eventually abandoned its intention of returning to the Prinzenvlag.
Mike Oettle, 24 May 2002

I remember reading somewhere that somewhere around the years 1969-1971 a proposal was made for replacing the "1928" flag with the Prinzenvlag. Does anyone know more details about this? Was it an official proposal and/or was it taken in consideration seriously?
Mark Sensen, 24 May 2002

On 28 September 1968 the then ruling National Party announced a commission under the chairmanship of Mr Justice JF Marais to look into the matter of a new flag for South Africa and that any new design should be hoisted on Republic Day (31 May) in 1971 - the 10th anniversary of the declaration of the the republic. However, Mr John Vorster, the then Prime Minister of South Africa, decided later that new flags and symbols were not necessary and that it would be "petty politics" to interfere in the matter and accordingly, no further attempt was made to change the then national symbols of the country until the advent of democracy in 1994.

As most vexillologists are aware, the previous South African flag was born following a fierce debate and was in essence a compromise symbol between the English and Afrikaans-speaking white South Africans following the Anglo-Boer South African War of 1899-1902. There were numerous attempts to change the flag, particularly from Afrikaners who detested the "Union Jack" being part of the flag.

The former Prime Minister (and architect of apartheid) Dr Verwoerd had a dream to hoist a "clean" flag over South Africa in the 1960s. The proposed design comprised three vertical stripes of blue, white and orange (Princevlag colours) with a leaping springbok over a wreath of six proteas in the centre. This flag was designed by Mr HC Blatt, then assistant secretary in the Department of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister had already approved this design but his assassination in 1966 left the matter in abeyance until the National Party meeting in 1968, as referred to above. The successor to Dr Verwoerd, Mr John Vorster, raised the flag issue at a news conference on 30 March 1971 and said in the light of the impending elections and 10th anniversary Republic Day celebrations, he preferred "to keep the affair in the background". This he said was done because he did not want the flag question to degenerate into a political football (perhaps reflecting on the 1920s experience) and that the matter would be considered again when circumstances would be "more normal".

"I only want to warn, and express the hope, that no person should drag politics in any form into this matter because the flag must, at all times, be raised above party politics in South Africa" he said.

Verwoerd's dream for a new South African flag, with black and white illustration, is published in SAVA Newsletter 3/92 (July 1992) and is based on an article published in the Afrikaans newspaper, Rapport, on 15 December 1991.
Bruce Berry, 31 May 2002

Upside-down Union Flag ?

The UK flag within the Old South African one is upside down. Is that the way it is supposed to be?
R Nathan Bliss, 6 March 1998

This is my understanding and feel free to correct me:
It isn't upside down; it is being seen from the back! This was an elaborate trick to keep any one of the three flags from having "precedence" - the British flag as portrayed on the old South African flag as at the honour point (left); but since you are seeing the reverse, from the "proper" perspective the UJ is really on the left.
Joshua Fruhlinger, 9 March 1998

The Union Jack is not upside but is spread horizontally from the Free State flag towards the hoist, thus is in the superior position (by being closest to the hoist) but also reversed. As Josh says, an "elaborate trick"!
Bruce Berry, 10 March 1998

World War II

I was wondering what flag South African army forces would have been flying during World War II alongside the British? Can you help me out?
Tristan Noone, 13 Jun 2001

South African forces in East Africa flew their own national flag. In a July 1941 letter to the Colonial Office about the use of British flags in the territory, the Governor of Tanganyika referred to the Union Jack, adding that "I do not use the expression out of ignorance but since the wartime eruption of Union troops in East Africa the term Union Flag is usually associated with the Vierkleur (Four Colour of the former Transvaal)."

The formation badges were yellow and green. That of the 1st South African Division (raised in Kenya in 1940, then Somaliland, Abyssinia and North Africa) was a diamond divided in half horizontally, yellow over green, later a rectangle yellow over green on which was superimposed a black wildebeest. The 2nd South African Division in North Africa was a circle divided yellow over green while the 6th South African Armoured Division in Italy was a yellow triangle with a green border.
David Prothero, 15 Jun 2001

It is quite correctly stated that the Union Flag of 1927 was used by SA forces. My father, who served in the Second World War, assured me that the Union Jack was hardly to be seen at SA military installations. Ironically, since my Dad served (in 1944-45, in the 6th SA Armoured Division in Italy) in a Natal infantry regiment (previously he had been in the SA Corps of Engineers and the SA Tank Corps, and was not himself from Natal) there was one exception to this:
Natal Command (army regional headquarters) in Durban, from 1927 to 1961, always flew the Union Jack and the Union Flag side by side. The Natal Provincial Administration also flew the two flags together, as did most Natal local governments (the corporations of Durban and Pietermaritzburg and the boroughs of the other towns).

The reason for this was that Natal was far more closely attached to the British Crown than the other provinces of the Union, and was fiercely loyal to the British connection. The deviation at Natal Command was tolerated for this reason.

The only military bases elsewhere in the Union where the Union Jack was flown were the Royal Navy installations on the Cape coast and the Joint Flying Schools, which were run by both the Royal Air Force and the South African Air Force. At these, naturally, the White Ensign and the Air Force Ensign respectively were also in evidence.
Mike Oettle, 08 Dec 2001

Retention of the 1912 Red Ensign

The 1912 Red Ensign was retained as South Africa's merchant flag until 1951.
Mike Oettle, 10 May 2003

Transvaal (South Africa)

Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek

image by Antonio Martins, 02 Mar 1999

Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR)

Republic in the Transvaal, formed between 1857 and 1864. Horizontally red-white-blue with a vertical green stripe at the hoist (known as the "Vierkleur" or four colour) 1857-1902, except for 1874-75 when the Voortrekker flag, but with the saltire fimbriated white, was restored
Roy Stilling, 08 Oct 1996

When the ZAR as officially recognised by Britain in January 1852, it had neither arms or a flag of its own. The flag which had been flown by the Voortrekkers was the so-called "Voortreeker Flag" which was a red saltire on a blue field. By resolution of the Volksraad approved on 18 February 1858, the flag of the ZAR was described as:
"It is resolved that a flag for the South African Republic shall be adopted, consisting of the following colours: Red, White and Blue, horizontal, each of equal width and placed one above another, and Green perpendicular next to the staff".
This resolution contains the only formal description of the vierkleur which was to be the national flag of the ZAR, apart from two short interruptions, until the end of the republic until 1902.

image by António Martins, 04 Jun 1999

In October 1874 the Volksraad adopted a new flag based on the "Voortrekker flag" for the ZAR, with the the red saltire being fimbriated in white. However, the Volksraad later reversed its decision in May 1875 when President Burgers, who was not satisfied with the vierkleur flag, was away overseas! The new saltire flag was retained as the Presidential flag, but soon fell into abeyance as some felt it was too similar to the Union Jack.

The Vierkleur gave way to the Union Jack during the British annexation of the Transvaal between 12 April 1877 and 03 August 1881, following which the independence of the Transvaal was again formally recognised and the Vierkleur restored. The ZAR came to an end following the Peace of Vereeniging on 31 May 1902 which signaled the end of the Anglo-Boer War and the ZAR once again came under British control as the Transvaal Colony.

The flag of the ZAR was incorporated into the new South African flag in 1928 while its arms were retained as the provincial arms of the Transvaal in 1951.
Bruce Berry, 11 Nov 1997

This flag was registered with the South African Bureau of Heraldry as the flag of the South African Republic for the Office of the Prime Minister together with the flag of the Republic of Orange Free State on 30 April 1983 (application 08 January 1982, amendment 05 March 1982). Certificates were issued for both in Afrikaans on 14 October 1983.

The text in English for the flag of the South African Republic reads as follows:
A rectangular flag proportions three by two, consisting of three horizontal stripes of equal width, from top to bottom red, white and blue and at the hoist a vertical green stripe one and one quarter the width of each of the other three stripes.
Source: "Some South African flags, 1940-1990" compiled by F.G. Brownell, South African State Herald
Mark Sensen, 08 Mar 1999

The Vierkleur of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek was designed by Reverend Dirk van der Hoff and was hoisted for the first time in Potchefstroom on 06 January 1857. It was officially accepted by the Volksraad (House of Assembly) as the flag of the ZAR on 18 February 1858. Following the occupation by the British, the flag was removed but was raised again on the Day of the Vow (Geloftedag) (16 December) in 1880 in Heidelberg.

The Transvalers fought under this flag between 1899 and 1902 during the Anglo-Boer War.
Ernst Venter, 15 Nov 2006

Voortrekkers (South Africa)

(Boer) Pioneers

image by António Martins, 09 Mar 1999

Voortrekkers

This is the Afrikaans name (literally Pioneers) for the group of Afrikaners who left the Cape Colony to make the Great Trek into the interior between 1835 and 1854. The Voortrekker vlag (also known as the Kruisvlag or the 'Potgieter Vlag' after Voortrekker General AH Potgieter) was used between 1836 and 1840 and was a red saltire on a blue background.
Bruce Berry, 05 Oct 1995 Their flag was Blue with a red saltire (no fimbriation).
Roy Stilling, 08 Oct 1996

Orange or Red?

Why did the Transvaal adopt the "new" Dutch colours (red-white-blue) whereas South Africa uses the "old" Dutch colours (orange-white-blue) for its flag?
Josh Fruhlinger, 15 Oct 1996

It might be because the independent Boer republics were trying to capitalise on their Dutch connections in the hope of getting support from there and elsewhere in Europe against the British. However, by the 1920s it was clear that for the time being they had to be resigned to the British connection. Instead more emphasis was put on the idea of the Afrikaners (a term and language which was then becoming preferred over the Dutch used in the 19th century) as a people belonging to and shaped by Africa, as much as by Europe, and the "Van Riebeek" orange-white-blue flag was said to be the first flag raised in South Africa itself.
Roy Stilling, 15 Oct 1996

Even the earliest republics (Graaff-Reinet and Swellendam, which were set up in 1795) adopted the new Dutch flag. The reason was that they saw themselves as being Dutch, but no longer belonging to the Dutch East India Company (VOC) which still flew the old orange-white-blue flag.
The Afrikaners (Boers) of the Great Trek who wished to escape the British colonial rule, adopted Dutch-inspired flag for their new republics for the same reason.
When the new (now old) South African flag was created, it was to unite the whites of South Africa - those Afrikaners whose forefathers left the Colony and set up independent republics (the small Orange Free State and ZAR flag), the Afrikaners whose forefathers stayed at the Cape (the orange-white-blue "Van Riebeeck flag") and the British settlers (the small Union Jack). I agree with Roy that the Van Riebeeck flag was used as dominating part because of its importance in South African history.
And don't forget that the flag was adopted under the rule of the Afrikaner JBM Hertzog.
Carsten Linke, 16 Oct 1996

Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek re-established

[War flag of South African Republic during the Boer War]

image by Antonio Martins, 02 Mar 1999

In December 1880 rebellious Boers again declared a South African Republic, which re-established the "Vierkleur". This is the war flag of the former South African Republic (Transvaal), used during the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902).
Carsten Linke, 14 June 1996

Transvaal flag (or Vierkleur) is used by the Afrikaner Volksfront (Afrikaner People's Movement, AVF) as their Vryheidsflag (Freedom's flag), with an orange stripe replacing the red one.
Filip Van Laenen, 03 Oct 1996

The Vierkleur

The "vierkleur" (4 colour) design was first used by the Boer Republic of Land Goshen (Republiek van Land Goshen) between 1881-84 where the vertical stripe was green and the horizontal stripes were black, white and red.

This was followed by the New Republic (Nieuwe Republiek) between 1884-88 whose flag had a blue vertical stripe and red, white and green horizontal stripes. The Zuid-Afrikaanse Republiek (ZAR/Transvaal) flew the now traditional "vierkleur" of a green vertical stripe and red, white and blue horizontal stripes between 1858-1902.
Bruce Berry, 14 June 1996

The green in the flag stands for hope and youthfulness.
Mark Sensen, 03 Oct 1996

Thank you very much for the reaction. But actually I want to know something about the meaning of the flags and its colours? e.g. why three orange stripes at the OFS flag etc.?
Carsten Linke, 11 Oct 1996

The use of red, white and blue, and indeed of the unadulterated Dutch tricolour Boer flags needs no explanation, surely?
On specifics, Carr says the green stripe in the Transvaal vierkleur is supposed to represent "Young Holland" [p.83] (whether there was an actual movement by this name in 19th century South African and/or the Netherlands, or whether it was simply a reference to the nationalist ideal of groups like "Young Italy", I don't know).
Roy Stilling, 11 Oct 1996

I received a message from an Afrikaner who states that the green band on the flag represents how fruitful the Transvaal is. It was designed that way by a certain Dominee (Reverend) Dirk van der Hoff. The flag was hoisted for the first time at Potchefstroom.
Filip Van Laenen, 15 Oct 1996

The Vierkleur of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek was designed by Reverend Dirk van der Hoff and was hoisted for the first time in Potchefstroom on 06 January 1857. It was officially accepted by the Volksraad (House of Assembly) as the flag of the ZAR on 18 February 1858. Following the occupation by the British, the flag was removed but was raised again on the Day of the Vow (Geloftedag) (16 December) in 1880 in Heidelberg.

The Transvalers fought under this flag between 1899 and 1902 during the Anglo-Boer War.
Ernst Venter, 15 Nov 2006

Voortrekkers (South Africa)

(Boer) Pioneers

image by António Martins, 09 Mar 1999

Voortrekkers

This is the Afrikaans name (literally Pioneers) for the group of Afrikaners who left the Cape Colony to make the Great Trek into the interior between 1835 and 1854. The Voortrekker vlag (also known as the Kruisvlag or the 'Potgieter Vlag' after Voortrekker General AH Potgieter) was used between 1836 and 1840 and was a red saltire on a blue background.
Bruce Berry, 05 Oct 1995 Their flag was Blue with a red saltire (no fimbriation).
Roy Stilling, 08 Oct 1996

Natalia (South Africa)

image by António Martins, 09 Mar 1999

Natalia

Natalia was the "Voortrekker" state in Natal which was established after the Voortrekkers arrived there in 1838 and deposed the Zulu king Dingane in 1840. The state was occupied by the British and annexed in 1843. Their flag was horizontally red over blue, divided by a white triangle from hoist (base) to fly (apex) and was used between 1839-1843 [
Roy Stilling, 08 Oct 1996

The description you have is incorrect (as is the description by Cresham Carr). The apex of the triangle is actually at the hoist. The image needs to be inverted 90 degrees as at the moment it is as if the hoist is on the right hand side instead of the left.
Bruce Berry, 02 Mar 1999

Klip River Republic

I notice that you have a link from a reference to "Klip River Republic" under this heading to the Klipdrift Republic, one of the two diggers' states.
Firstly, the Klip River Republic was in the north of the Colony of Natal (as it was before the incorporation of Zululand). It was more or less a remnant of the Republiek van Natalia and was eliminated by the firm establishment of British authority in Durban and Pietermaritzburg, and extending from there to the colony's borders between the Thukela, Buffalo and Mzimkhulu rivers and the Drakensberg mountain range. The burghers either became British subjects or trekked away elsewhere.
(This Klip River is a short tributary to the Thukela, lying upriver from Ladysmith. There are other rivers elsewhere in South Africa with the same name).
Mike Oettle, 14 Jul 2002

Coat of Arms (1932 - 2000)

image from this site, reported by Bruce Berry, 20 Feb 1998

New Armorial Bearings and supporters were granted to the Union of South Africa by Royal Warrant in 1910. These Arms were later changed to improve their "artistic" quality and a new design was approved by the London College of Arms in 1930. An "embellished" version was approved on 21 September 1932 and came into use during 1933. It is this version which was subsequently registered at the South African Bureau of Heraldry on 13 May 1968 with the following blazon:

ARMS: Quarterly per fess wavy: I, Gules a female figure representing Hope, resting the dexter arm upon a rock, and supporting with the sinister hand an anchor Argent; II, Or, two black wildebeest in full course at random, both proper; III, Or upon an island an orange tree Vert fructed proper; IV, Vert a trek wagon Argent.
CREST: On a wreath of the colours, a lion passant guardant Gules, supporting with the dexter paw four staves erect, alternately Argent and Azure and branded Or.
MANTLING: Argent and Gules.
SUPPORTERS: Dexter a springbok and sinister an oryx (gemsbok), both proper.
COMPARTMENT: Below the shield, on a compartment grassed Vert, two Proteas each with two flower heads proper.
MOTTO: EX UNITATE VIRES (Unity is Strength)

The shield is quartered with symbols from each of the original four areas (later provinces) which came together to form the Union of South Africa, viz Maiden of Hope (Cape of Good Hope), wildebeest (Natal), orange tree (Orange River Colony) and the trek-wagon (Transvaal).
Bruce Berry, 20 Feb 1998

Coat of Arms (1930-1932)

scan by Bruce Berry, 20 Sept 2006

The Arms of the Union of South Africa as recorded by the London College of Arms in 1930. An "embellished" version was approved on 21 September 1932 and came into use during 1933 and became the official coat of arms although versions of the so-called "un-embellished" arms as shown above continued to be used on official documents, government stationary etc.
Bruce Berry, 20 Sept 2006

Coat of Arms (1910-1930)

scan by Bruce Berry, 20 Sept 2006

The first coat of arms of South Africa were adopted following the formation of the Union of South Africa on 31 May 1910. Since the Union was created out of the Cape Colony, Natal Colony, the Orange River Colony and the Transvaal (the latter two being the former Boer republics which had ceased to exist at the end of the Anglo-Boer War in 1902), there was adequate heraldic material on which the new arms could be based. Accordingly, the shied of the new arms was divided into four and contained images from the arms of the four colonies which formed the Union of South Africa.

The blazon of the new arms as granted by Royal Warrant on 17 September 1910 reads as follows:

"Quarterly per fesse wavy First Quarter Gules a female figure representing Hope resting the dexter arm upon a rock and supporting with the sinister hand an Anchor Argent Second Quarter Or two Wildebeesten in full course at random both proper Third Quarter Or upon an island an Orange tree Vert fructed proper Fourth Quarter Vert a Trek Waggon Argent And for the Crest On a Wreath of the Colours A Lion passant guardant Gules supporting with the dexter paw four staves erect alternately Argent and Azure and branded Or And for the Supporters, On the dexter side A Spring Buck and on the sinister side An Oryx (Gemsbuck) both proper together with the motto EX UNITATE VIRES"

The wavy partition line per fesse represents the Orange River which flows through the country while the four former colonies are represented in shield, viz:

Cape Province in the first quarter by the female figure (Maiden of Hope)
Natal Colony in the second quarter by the wildebeest
Orange River Colony in the third quarter by the Orange tree
Transvaal Colony in the fourth quarter by the trek wagon.

The motto is from that of the former Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek's (Transvaal) Eendracht maakt Magt being translated into Latin as Ex Unitate Vires (Unity is Strength).

The Arms were used until 1930 when, following criticism of their artistic merit, it was decided that they be redrawn.
Bruce Berry, 24 Sept 2006

Orange Free State (South Africa)

Oranje Vrijstaat (Suid-Afrika)

image by Herman de Wael, 24 Feb 1998

Orange Free State flag (1856-1902)

When the Republic of Orange Free State came into being on 23 February 1854 it possessed neither arms nor a flag. On 15 May 1854 the Orange Free State Government Secretary wrote to the Republic's Consul in the Netherlands and asked whether King William III would be willing to grant the OFS arms and a flag. This was followed by a personal letter to the King from President Hoffman on 15 October 1854. In February 1855, Hoffman's presidency came to an end and there followed an inter-regnum of 6 months when JN Boshoff was President. He knew nothing of the approach to the Dutch monarch.

The request for arms and a flag was eventually granted and on 12 January 1856 the King's special envoy, Cornelis Hattingh, arrived in Bloemfontein with the royal gifts. The flag consisted of seven equal alternating horizontal stripes of white and orange with the Dutch flag in the canton. Both the arms and flag remained in use until the OFS came to an end following the signing of the Treaty of Vereeniging marking the end of the Anglo-Boer War on 31 May 1902. The Republic of the Orange Free State then became the British controlled Orange River Colony until it was incorporated into the Union of South Africa on 31 May 1910.
Bruce Berry, 12 Feb 2000

The flag of the Orange Free State (OFS) was designed in 1856 by King William III of the Netherlands, on request of the OFS Volksraad (parliament). It is said to represent the bonds between the OFS and the Netherlands, and it's royal house (of Orange). Carr goes on to say that some claim the three orange stripes were a reference to William the Third of Orange being the designer.

I think that the fact that the country was named after the Orange River (itself named after the Dutch royal house) must have had a bearing and that the canton and stripes design is likely a reference to the Stars and Stripes, which inspired other "new" nations' flags in this period (e.g. Greece, El Salvador)
Roy Stilling, 11 Oct 1996

This flag was registered with the South African Bureau of Heraldry as the flag of the Republic of Orange Free State for the Office of the Prime Minister, together with the flag of the South African Republic, on 30 April 1983 (application 08 January 1982, amendment 05 March 1982). Certificates were issued for both in Afrikaans on 14 October 1983.

The text in English for the flag Republic of Orange Free State reads as follows:
A rectangular flag proportions three by two, consisting of seven horizontal stripes of equal width alternately white and orange and a canton of three stripes, red, white and blue in the proportions four by three.
Source: "Some South African Flags, 1940-1990" compiled by F.G. Brownell, the State Herald, June 1991. (SAVA Journal 1/92) .
Mark Sensen, 08 Mar 1999

Orange Free State Coat of Arms

image from Mike Oettle's website.

The actual arms of the Orange Free State republic were quite different, as you'll see at my website.

Arms taken into use on 23 February 1857, the third anniversary of the Oranje Vrij Staat. The blazon, as quoted by F G Brownell, reads:
Arms: On a shield Argent, between three bugle horns Azure, garnished and stringed Gules, a representation of the seal of the Orange Free State Republic as adopted in 1856, viz. on a white roundel, in chief a tree on an island, between dexter, three sheep and sinister, a natural lion supporting the tree with his dexter paw, in base a Voortrekker wagon on an island all proper; on a ribbon draped fesswise, the motto GEDULD EN MOED, above the tree the word VRYHEID and below the wagon the word IMMIGRATIE; behind the shield on two staves in saltire with ball and spear point Or, two flags of the same Republic draped on both sides, each with seven stripes visible, alternately white and orange and a canton of three stripes, red, white and blue.

The story of how the OFS got its odd concoction of a coat of arms was especially interesting to me, since it involved a tricky situation that my ancestor President Boshof had to deal with.

You'll see on my page an illustration of one of the drafts put forward to the Dutch king for his grant to the Boer republic. I hope to have a second illustration, of a rather different draft design, on the page early next year.
Mike Oettle, 14 Dec 2001

Orange Free State spurious Coat of Arms

reported by Victor Lomantsov, 26 Dec 2000

I found interesting Coat of Arms for the Orange Free State. Why the flags which decorated the shield are 'Vierkleur' of South African Republic? Why not Orange striped Flags?
Victor Lomantsov, 26 Dec 2000

That's a curious coat of arms you illustrate for the Oranje Vrijstaat. It's certainly irregular, and it seems to me to have been concocted by some European supporter of the Boer republics during the South African War.

I did try to find the website where the odd illustration came from, but the URL seems to have changed or been cancelled.
Mike Oettle, 14 Dec 2001

Earliest flags over South Africa (ca. 1488 - 1876)

Portuguese Explorers (ca. 1488)

Flags were first brought to South Africa by the European explorers trying to find a sea route from Europe to India and the Far East. The first to reach what is now South Africa was the Portuguese explorer Diogo Cão. He reached the mouth of the Orange River. Later, the Portuguese explorer and navigator Bartolomeu Dias de Novaes rounded the Cape in 1488 and landed at what is now Mossel Bay. Ten years later Vasco da Gama finally reached India.

image by António Martins, 19 Feb 1998

These explorers belonged to a military order known as the Military Order of Christ. Its badge was a red cross on a white background (which is still used as the badge of the Portuguese air force today). In addition to the flag of the Order, the Portuguese sailors flew the royal flag of Portugal. The designs of both these banners were also painted on the sails of their ships as was the common practice amongst sailors at that time.

The Portuguese erected stone crosses (padrão) at prominent points along the coast to proclaim sovereignty of the Portuguese realm by right of discovery. Dias erected his first cross on Dias Point (since renamed Lüderitzbucht in what is now Namibia), at Kwaaihoek on the easternmost limit of Algoa Bay and on his return voyage at Buffels Bay near Cape Point. No permanent Portuguese settlement was established at this time.
Bruce Berry, 28 Mar 2003

The English Annexation (ca. 1588 - 1650)

The first attempt to claim sovereignty over the Cape by a European power was by the English, although the Dutch had already considered the possibility. On 03 July 1619, captains Andrew Schillinge (captain of a Royal Ship) and Humphrey Fitzherbert (commodore of a trading fleet) happened to meet in Table Bay and decided to claim it for England. They hoisted the cross of St George and proclaimed the surrounding territory to be English in the name of King James I. King James was not interested in acquiring this new territory and so the "claim" lapsed as no permanent settlement was established.

About a century after Vasco da Gama found the sea route from Europe to India round the Cape of Good Hope, other countries became interested in trading with the east. The English East India Company was founded in 1600 for this purpose and used a flag of red and white stripes with the Cross of St George in the canton. This was later changed following the merger of the England and Scotland and the British East India Company was formed.
Bruce Berry, 28 Mar 2003

Dutch East India Company (VOC) (1652 - 1795)

image by Mark Sensen, 14 Nov 1996

There is some controversy as to what was the first flag to be flown over what is now South Africa. On 05 April 1652, Jan van Riebeeck anchored in Table Bay and on the morning of 06 April 1652 he stepped ashore and proclaimed the territory surrounding the Bay to be henceforth the property of John Company with himself as Commander of the settlement.

image by Mark Sensen, 26 Feb 1998

Van Riebeeck makes no mention in his Journal whether he hoisted a flag, but it is assumed that he did. There is some controversy as to which flag he may have hoisted. The flags generally used by Dutch vessels at that time were those of the House of Orange in honour of William Orange, the stadholder of the Netherlands which was an orange, white and blue horizontal tricolor (known as the Prinzenvlag). Later the upper orange stripe was changed to the more distinctive red which has been used as the Dutch national flag ever since.

What is not in dispute is that van Riebeeck came representing the Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie or VOC for short). The company's flag was the Dutch tricolor with the company monogram/cipher in the centre. The monongram was the letters VOC intertwined. Later a small "c" was added above the monogram to represent the Cape although it is doubtful whether this appeared on flags. The company had other business chambers which followed a similar tradition (i.e. A for Amsterdam, M for Middelburg etc).

A permanent European settlement was established by VOC and thus the Dutch-based VOC flag is considered to the first South African flag. The Dutch and VOC tricolors flew until the first British occupation of the Cape on 17 September 1795 following the capitulation of Dutch troops and the British Union Flag replaced the Dutch tricolor.
Bruce Berry, 28 Mar 2003
image by Jarig Bakker, 28 Mar 2003

There were a few different VOC flags, for use by the different Chambers (places of settlement). This flag was for the Cape Colony. There was a cipher for the Cape which was a small "c" but it is unknown if it was ever used on flags."
Jarig Bakker, 28 Mar 2003

The version of the VOC flag on this page really should not have been placed on the Homepage of an article dealing exclusively with the Dutch East Indies, as the cipher used on this flag refers in particular to the Cape of Good Hope (Caab de Goede Hoop in 17th Century Dutch).

In "National and Provincial Symbols" by F.G.Brownell (1993) , it states on page 10:
"More common was the use of the company's cipher, a combination of the letters VOC (Vereenigde Nederlandsche Oost Indische Compagnie), over which a small letter C for Cabo (Cape), was sometimes placed. The flag flown (in the Cape) was either that of the Netherlands, or that of the Company, which was the Netherlands flag bearing the Company's cipher".

sent by Mark Sensen, 30 July 1998

Note that the above does not specifically mention a flag with the Company's cipher with above it a small letter "c". It does show us that such a cipher combination existed, however, and that its use on flags used on ships with the Cape of Good Hope as their homeport must assumed to have been in use. The cipher can also be viewed on the same page in the above mentioned book, as well as in C. Pama's Lions and Virgins (1965)

Caabse Vleck was a very early name for Cape Town (Kaapstad) but I have not been able to find the material relating to this. I have a few photocopies of early paintings of the Cape of Good Hope. The first is a water colour dated 1655/56 and is the oldest known painting of the settlement. It is headed: Aldus Verthoont hem de TAFEL BAY Geleegen Aen CABO de BONA SPERANCA.

Three other drawings by Johannes Rach dated 1762 have handwritten underneath: Gezigt van Cabo de Goede Hoop. So more than a Century after the landing of Jan van Riebeeck at the Cape it is still known as "Cabo". This is probably why a letter "C" was added to the cipher and not a "K", which would have been the obvious choice if the settlement had been known as Kaap de Goede Hoop.

Although we know the cipher with the "C" was in use at that time by the Company in the Cape, I have never been able to find any evidence that a flag with such a cipher was ever used, whether on land or on ships, but one would presume that when the Governor of the Cape boarded a ship for travel he would use such a distinctive flag. Other ships operating from the settlement might have used such a flag as well.
Andre van de Loo, 29 Mar 2003

The French Annexation of Saldanha Bay (1666 - 1667 ; 1670)

The French East Indian and West Indian Companies used Madagascar as their rendezvous for the trade with India, but a refreshment station was required in the south Atlantic. On 12 December 1666 a fleet of French ships arrived in Table Bay. On 18 December 1666 the French ship Saumacque carried out an inspection of Saldanha Bay and its environs, . On coming ashore, a party erected a small wooden post, or marker, with an attached leaden plaque on which was engraved the coat of arms of King Louis XIV and with the inscription: Ludovico Decimo-quatro regnante, Franciscus Lopius Montevergius in Orienten Legatus posuit anno 1666 (in the reign of Louis XIV, Francis Lope Mondevergue, Viceroy in the East erected this in the year 1666). The French party departed in January 1667 without leaving a garrison, apparently of the view that the pole and plaque was enough proof of their claim.

In 1670 another French expedition arrived at Saldanha Bay and a flag was hoisted on 30 September to a salute and cries of “Vive le Roi de France” and the VOC soldiers in the area were captured. However, the French presence was temporary and the expedition had left by 12 October 1670 when messengers sent by the VOC arrived to protest their actions.

image by Pierre Gay, 19 Oct 1999

While there is no description of the French flag used at Saldanha Bay, the royal arms on the plaque contained three fleurs-de-lis. On the royal standard these were yellow on a blue field. The French naval ensign at the time was white with several small golden fleurs-de-lis. Which of these flags was hoisted at Saldanha Bay is a matter of speculation, but it is thought that the naval ensign would have been the most likely given that the fleet was a naval expedition under naval command.
Bruce Berry, 28 Mar 2003

The first British Occupation (1795 - 1803)

The British occupied the Cape following the capitulation of Dutch troops on 17 September 1795 in order to prevent the French from taking control and the British Union Flag replaced the Dutch tricolor, which had flown over the Cape for almost a century and a half.

image by Edward Mooney, 04 May 1996

The Union Flag at that time was that which had been adopted in 1606 and bore the crosses of St. George and St. Andrew to signify the union of the English and Scottish kingdoms in 1603.

image by Clay Moss, 16 Dec 2006

Following the Act of Union in 1801, Ireland united with England and Scotland and the cross of St. Patrick was added to the Union Flag to give it the design we know today. This flag was also flown in the Cape until the First British Occupation ended in 1803.
Bruce Berry, 02 April 2003

The Batavian Republic (1803 - 1806)

image by Mark Sensen, 19 Jan 1999

The First British Occupation of the Cape ended in 1803 with the Peace of Amiens in terms of which the Cape was returned to the Dutch. The Dutch East India Company had been liquidated in 1796 and the Dutch state, under the influence of the French, was now known as the Batavian Republic.

The Constitution of 1798 determined that the Batavian Republic would possess a centralized government patterned after that of the Directory in France and bound to the newly formed Republic to France by alliance.

The flag of the new republic was the Dutch tricolor of red, white and blue with the Hollandsche Maagd (Dutch Maiden) added to the canton. The Dutch Maiden was a seated woman, facing a reclining lion, holding a shield and a staff crowned by the Cap of Liberty. The Hollandsche Maagd on a white field was also used as the Batavian Republic Naval Jack.

At the Cape she became known as the Bataafsche Maagd (Batavian Maid) and later, the Lady of Good Hope, appearing in the crest of the Arms of the Cape Colony and in the shield of the South African coat of arms used between 1910 and 2000.
Bruce Berry, 02 April 2003

The Second British Occupation (1806 - 1815)

image by Clay Moss, 16 Dec 2006

The British returned and seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, for the same reason as in 1795. The Second British Occupation lasted until 1815, when the new Dutch kingdom ceded the Cape permanently to Britain in a treaty following the Napoleonic Wars.
Bruce Berry, 02 April 2003

The Cape Colony (1815 - 1876)

image by Clay Moss, 16 Dec 2006

The Cape Colony flew an undefaced British Union Flag until it formally adopted a distinctive colonial badge in 1876, whereafter defaced British ensigns were flown.

The new British administration was more efficient than that of the previous VOC. This together with the perceived view of the failure of the British to deal with the increasing incursions of the Xhosa tribe on the eastern frontier and the abolition of slavery, led to many of the original Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekking north into the interior of what is now South Africa in what became known as the Great Trek in 1835. Between 1835 and 1845 over 10,000 Boer families, who became Voortrekkers, left the Cape and trekked north over the Orange and Vaal Rivers and eastwards across the Drakensberg mountains into Natal, establishing small independent republics along their way.
Bruce Berry, 02 April 2003

Hier Inhalt 3 einfügen

South Africa (1910-1928)

Union of South Africa / Unie van Suid-Afrika

(1:2) image by Clay Moss, 18 Dec 2006

Union of South Africa - introduction

The colonial flags (Natal, Cape Colony, Transvaal and Orange River Colony) became dormant when they joined together to form the Union of South Africa on 31 May 1910 and the Union Flag of Great Britain became the official flag.

Apparently it was the custom in the former South African colonies to use and regard the colonial flags for use on land as well as at sea. I think this was more a case of ignorance by the locals about the finer points of British vexillology. The Cape colonial Blue Ensign became generally known as the Cape Government flag which implies that it might have been flown at various colonial offices, but I have found no records to confirm this. The same applied in Natal. When the Natal Legislature on their own initiative adopted both a Red and Blue ensign in 1870, the Blue Ensign was later modified on instructions by the Colonial Office as the Natal Seal which they had placed in the fly was too complicated. The Blue Ensign was then apparently designated as the only valid colonial flag for Natal. The inhabitants did, however, continue to use the original Natal Red Ensign. There is a surviving example in the Killie Campbell Library in Durban.

Even the Boer republicans acknowledged the Cape Government flag as representing the Cape Colony. The design of the little New Republic's flag was a vierkleur with the blue and green bars interchanged. But the original design approved by the Volksraad made provision for flaglets on each bar: on the vertical blue bar a small Union Jack, on the horizontal red bar a small Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR) vierkleur, on the white bar the Orange Free State vierkleur and on the horizontal green bar the Cape Government flag. As far a I can ascertain, this complicated design was, perhaps fortunately, never made or taken into use although the plain version without the flaglets was used until the New Republic was absorbed by the ZAR. Later it was for a time also used as the municipal flag for the town of Vryheid - formerly the capital of the New Republic.

When the warrants were issued for Red and Blue ensigns for the Union of South Africa in 1910-12, the Red Ensign came to be regarded by the citizenry as the national flag, erroneously of course as the national flag of the Union officially remained the Union Jack. Even in Government circles - when Union troops under the command of General Louis Botha (he was also the Union's Prime Minister) took the town of Windhoek in German South West Africa in March 1915, he hoisted the SA Red Ensign over the Tintin Palast (the German Governor's Residence). There are even indications that the South African Blue Ensign was used over overseas offices of the Union Government. Even after the Union adopted the new national flag in 1928, it continued to use the South African Red Ensign in its proper role as the Merchant Marine ensign until 1951 before the Merchant Shipping Act of that year designated the orange-white-blue national flag also as the Merchant ensign.
Andre Burgers, 07 Dec 2004

South African Red Ensign

image by Mark Sensen, 08 Oct 1999 and Blas Delgado Ortiz, 14 May 2002

You might be interested to know, that I discovered a picture of South Africa's first flag (1910-1928). It was a red ensign (a red flag with the Union Jack in the upper left corner) and it had a crest on the fly with four quarters, in each of which were the emblems of the former provinces - Cape, Natal, Transvaal and Orange Free State.
James Alcock, 08 Oct 1999

The governing authority in the British Empire for flags flown at sea was the British Admiralty. On 28 December 1910, Admiralty warrants were issued for two South African ensigns, the Blue and the Red. They were both to be charge on the fly with the quartered shield from the Coat of Arms. Initially the shield was NOT placed on a roundel.

The Blue Ensign was, in accordance with general British practice, to be flown by Government vessels (not warships of which South Africa had none anyway at the time), and the Red Ensign by South African merchant vessels.

The Blue Ensign version was rarely seen in South Africa as South Africa had few such government owned vessels at that time. There is evidence that it was used on occasion on overseas offices of the country until the new South African flag came into use in 1928.

The design South African Red Ensign was amended by Admiralty Warrant on 25 March 1912 so that the shield could be more readily distinguished by placing it in the centre of a white roundel. This did not apply to the Blue Ensign.

The Red Ensign was for use at sea as the merchant fleet ensign. This version of the South African Red Ensign continued in use in the merchant navy until 1951 when it was finally displaced at sea by the South African national flag in terms of the Merchant Shipping Act of that year.

image by Mark Sensen, 08 Oct 1999 and Blas Delgado Ortiz, 14 May 2002

The Red Ensign was, at times, also used as the national flag ashore, although it was the Union Jack that officially enjoyed this status.
These flags never enjoyed much support and were regarded more as necessary conveniences than as symbols of the still non-existent national unity. They were largely ignored by both segments of the white population and rarely flown in public. The Red Ensign's most prominent moment was probably when General Louis Botha, former Commandant-General of the Zuid-Afrikaanse Republiek forces, later Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa and Commander-in-Chief of the Union forces, hoisted it over Windhoek (in the then German South West Africa), after capturing that town from the Germans in 1915. The South African troops fighting in East Africa, the Middle East and in the trenches in France during the First World War, did so under the Union Jack.
Source: "Sovereign flags of Southern Africa", A. P. Burgers, 1997 .
Jarig Bakker, 11 May 2002

Various sources inform us that the Red Ensign with South African flag badge was replaced by the South African national flag as the merchant ensign in 1951, and some writers state that this was in terms of the Merchant Shipping Act 1951. Well, section 65 of this Act, in its original form, did indeed state that "the national flag of the Union is hereby declared to be the national colours for all ships registered in the Union" -- but the Act wasn't brought into operation in 1951. It was kept in abeyance for several years.

The list of authorised flag stations in the revised Instructions for Flying the National Flag issued in 1958 (Government Gazette 6085 dated 25 July 1958) included "ships of SA nationality in accordance with the provisions of section sixty-five of the Merchant Shipping Act 1951 (Act No. 57 of 1951) as soon as it comes into operation". The Act was eventually brought into operation on 01 January 1960. So, on the face of it, then, did the Red Ensign legally remain the merchant ensign of South Africa until midnight on 31 December 1959? Or does anyone know of any proclamation or government notice or official pronouncement to the contrary?
Arthur Radburn, 15 August 2010

The abolition date of the South African red ensign is in fact 1951. Despite the introduction of the South African National flag on 31 May 1928, the red ensign continued in use as the Mercantile Marine flag until 1951 in terms of the provisions of section 65 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1951 (Act No. 57 of 1951).
Source: "The Union Jack over Central and Southern Africa 1795 - 1994" by FG Brownell, SAVA Journal 1994 .
Martin Grieve, 16 August 2010

What is the evidence that the Merchant Shipping Act 1951 was not brought into operation until 01 January 1960?
David Prothero, 16 August 2010

The effective date of the Merchant Shipping Act is printed at the top of the Act in the Butterworths printed statutes of South Africa. Also, John Hare's book on Shipping Law and Admiralty Jurisdiction in SA (1999) mentions the date several times.

The Act provided that it would come into operation on a date to be fixed by the Governor-General by proclamation, so there is no doubt a proclamation buried in the Government Gazettes which would be an original primary source.

The Instructions for Flying the National Flag which were issued in July 1958 required the national flag to be flown on ships registered under the Act "as soon it comes into operation", which implies that the change of flag had not yet taken place at that time.
Arthur Radburn, 17 August 2010

An on-line 2003 copy of the Merchant Shipping Act of 1951 is headed "Assented to 27 June 1951". "Date of commencement 01 January 1960".

Yet all the flag books published in the 1950s, that I have found, state that the national flag had replaced the Red Ensign as the merchant flag. Some include the year 1951 such as in Gresham-Carr's Flags of the World (1953 and 1956) ; Kannik's A Handbook of Flags (1958) and The Flag Book (1959) . Others, such as the Admiralty Flags of All Nations (1955) and Evans' The Observer's Book of Flags (1959), merely state that the national flag was the merchant flag;

A possible explanation for this contradictory information can be found in Pama's Lions and Virgins (1965) where he states that, "It (the old Red Ensign) only disappeared when, in 1951, all ships registered in South Africa were requested to fly the new flag." This suggests that merchant ships were expected to fly the national flag after 1951, but that it was not legally enforceable until 1960. It would be interesting to know why implementation of the Act was delayed.
David Prothero, 20 August 2010

Clarification of the issue of the starting date for use of the former South African national flag as the ensign of merchant ships will ultimately need to be determined by one of our South African members.

However, as David Prothero has pointed out, the Merchant Shipping Act 1951 of South Africa can be read on the internet. The heading states: Date of Commencement: 01 January, 1960 (Unless otherwise indicated). Section 358 states "This Act shall be called the Merchant Shipping Act, 1951, and shall come into operation on a date to be fixed by the State President by proclamation in the Gazette: Provided that the State President may from time to time by proclamation in the Gazette bring into operation only such portions of this Act as he may specify in such proclamation."

Therefore it is possible that section 65, which related to the shipping flag may have commenced earlier than the Act as a whole. The notes to the Act do not indicate if any parts did (or did not) come into effect prior to 1960. The on-line version of the Act only shows the current text of the Act, which has been extensively modified by various amendment acts. Sections 19 to 67 were repealed by Act 58 of 1998, and I have not been able to locate the original text using internet resources.

Maritime law was one of the last areas of the law to migrate to local legislation in Australia. The Imperial "Merchant Shipping Act 1894" continued in force in Australia until the Shipping Registration Act 1981. Continued access to the established British Admiralty law, its precedents and courts relating to the international enforcement of ship-mortgages, ship registration, marine safety and insurance procedures, and the continuation of laws relating to seamen and ships officers and the carriage of goods by sea would have been seen as a pragmatic advantage that resulted in parts of the UK legislation continuing in force in Australia long after the Statute of Westminster of 1931. A similar situation probably occurred in South Africa where the intent was likely to have been to progressively migrate the maritime law to local legislation, but the coming to power of National Party Prime Minister Verwoerd, who advocated South Africa becoming a republic outside of the Commonwealth (which occurred on 31 May 1961), possibly led to the 1960 commencement of all of the South African Merchant Shipping Act.

I also note the observations of the late Andries Burgers in The South African Flag Book , on page 152 where he states: "The Union Nationality and Flags Act of 1928 had not made provision for the new national flag to be flown at sea by South African merchant vessels. The 1912 version of the South African Red Ensign would therefore have continued in use in the South African merchant marine until 1951 when it was finally displaced at sea by the South African national flag in terms of the Merchant Shipping Act of that year. It is not known for certain whether the South African merchant marine actually used the defaced red ensign, but if they did, there are indications that after 1928 South African merchant vessels reverted to the British undefaced Red Ensign and it is considered that the reason might have been that the defaced red ensign was no longer manufactured and thus became unavailable when the new national flag was taken into use ashore."

So, there is doubt that the South African red ensign was widely used after 1928, which would give support to all the indications that use of the national flag as the merchant ensign occurred sooner, rather
than later.
Ralph Kelly, 21 August 2010

Since my last post, I've located the proclamation which brought the Act into effect. It was signed by the Officer Administering the Government (the Governor-General having recently died) on 08 December 1959, and published in the Government Gazette 6337 dated 24 December 1960. It brought the Act (except for sections 68 to 72 inclusive) into operation on 01 January 1960.

I looked in the Government Gazette indexes for 1951 and 1952, but found no proclamation to bring section 65, dealing with the flag, into operation at that time.

As David Prothero has pointed out, various reference books in the 1950s gave 1951 as the date. However, none of them is a South African publication. The earliest SA publication which I've found which refers to the merchant flag is Pama's Simbole van die Unie, published in 1960, which reproduces, in full, the instructions for flying the national flag had been published in Government Gazette 6085 dated 25 July 1958. Those instructions required the national flag to be flown on merchant ships registered under the Merchant Shipping Act 1951 "as soon as it comes into operation".

Is it significant that none of the sources which give 1951 as the date are specific as to day and month? Had there been some kind of directive to change the flag in 1951, there would surely have been a specific implementation date. And wouldn't the world's maritime authorities have had to be informed that as from such-and-such a date, SA merchant ships will wear the national flag instead of the Red Ensign?
Arthur Radburn, 21 August 2010

None of the sources I mention earlier give a precise date because a precise date was apparently not specified. In the 1953 edition of Flags of the World Gresham-Carr wrote, "The South African Shipping Act, No. 57 of 1951, section 65, states: 'The National Flag of the Union is hereby declared to be the national colours for all ships registered in the Union.' "

I think it is correct to say that as far as foreign countries are concerned a maritime flag has the function that its government says that it has. A flag's legal status within its home country is no business of foreign countries. The South African government announced in 1951 that the national flag was the merchant flag, and although this function of the national flag became legally unenforceable for a time, the government is not recorded as having changed or retracted the 1951 announcement.

It seems that the national flag replaced the red ensign in 1951 and continued to be used as the merchant flag until 1994. Due to a legal problem, that was probably not directly connected to the flag, use of the national flag as the merchant flag could be only requested, and not enforced, for a few years immediately before 1960.
David Prothero, 25 August 2010

Variant of the Red Ensign

Image sent by James Hibbs, 22 Apr 2013

Please can you help me in identifying and dating this flag. It is South African from 1910.
James Hibbs, 22 Apr 2013

image by Martin Grieve, 23 May 2015

This is an unauthorised version of the South African red ensign, which bears the full Arms in the fly instead of just the shield. How this version came into being is not known as the Admiralty Warrant authorising distinctive ensigns for South Africa, dated 28 December 1910, clearly specified that only the shield from the Arms should appear in the fly.

It would appear that this version dates from 1915 in view of its similarity to the Colour presented to General Louis Botha in that year during the South West Africa campaign. At the outbreak of World War I, at the request of the British Government, General Louis Botha led a South African expeditionary force into German South West Africa which entered Windhoek in May 1915. General Botha received the surrender of the main German force of 3 400 at Tsumeb in the north of the territory on 09 July 1915 on behalf of King George V. A silk Colour in the form of a South African red ensign with the full Arms in the fly was presented to General Botha by the ladies of Worcester in the Western Cape. This was hoisted in Windhoek on 31 May 1915 by General Botha's second son, JCS Botha. The similarity to the flag shown above would seem to indicate a common origin and a number of such unauthorised versions are known to exist.
Bruce Berry, 30 Apr 2013

image sent by Arthur Radburn, 18 Jan 2016

This black and white newsreel (from 0:45 onwards) shows two ensigns of this pattern draped in front of the pavilion at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. The shade of the field of the flag matches the field of the Union Jack canton - which we know to be blue - rather than the cross or saltire (which we know to be red).

Although the date of the newsreel is given as 1927, the events shown took place in December 1926.

The fact that the ensign in the newsreel was displayed at the government's head office building, on the occasion of a speech by the Prime Minister, suggests that it was officially sanctioned. It was not approved by the UK Admiralty, but if its use was confined to land, it didn't need to be. Perhaps it was authorised by a cabinet decision, in which case a search in the National Archives in Pretoria might prove fruitful.

Evidently the coats of arms on the backs of the flags were in reverse.
Arthur Radburn, 18 Jan 2016

South African Blue Ensign

image by Blas Delgado Ortiz, 14 May 2002

The governing authority in the British Empire for flags flown at sea was the British Admiralty. On 28 December 1910, Admiralty Warrants were issued for two South African ensigns, the Blue and the Red. They were both to be charged in the fly with the quartered shield from the Coat of Arms. Although the design of the Red Ensign was amended in 1912 so that the shield was to be placed on a white roundel, this did not apply to the Blue Ensign.

The Blue Ensign was, in accordance with general British practice, to be flown by Government vessels (not warships of which South Africa had none anyway at the time), and the Red Ensign by South African merchant vessels.

The Blue Ensign version was rarely seen in South Africa as South Africa had few such government owned vessels at that time. There is evidence that it was used on occasion at overseas offices of the country until the new South African flag came into use in 1928.
Source: "Sovereign flags of Southern Africa", A. P. Burgers, 1997 .
Jarig Bakker, 11 May 2002

Some additional information about the South African Blue Ensign:

Various sources state that the ensign was replaced by the National Flag at the end of May 1928. Certainly, the flag-flying regulations issued in May 1931 stated that the National Flag was to be flown on "government craft when within Union territorial waters". However, on the high seas, the defaced Blue Ensign evidently continued to be flown until the late 1930s, if not later.

The South African Railways & Harbours operated a few steamers, which regularly sailed to the Far East and Australia. According to a July 1937 article in the Adelaide (South Australia) newspaper, The Advertiser, when these ships were in South African waters they flew the National Flag, and when they were on the high seas they flew the defaced Blue Ensign. This was because the Blue Ensign was "recognised the world over", while the National Flag was "not widely known outside the Union".
Arthur Radburn, 11 Oct 2015