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South Africa (1928–1994)
Oranje, Blanje, Blou
Proportion2:3
Adopted1928
DesignFesses with central badge

The flag of South Africa between 1928 and 1994 was the flag of the Union of South Africa and later the Republic of South Africa between 1928 and 1994. It based on the Dutch Prince's Flag and had the Union Jack, flag of the Orange Free State and the Transvaal Vierkleur in the centre.[1] It was nicknamed Oranje, Blanje, Blou (Afrikaans: Orange, White, Blue).[2] It was adopted in 1928 by an act of Parliament from the first Afrikaner majority government and was replaced by the current flag of South Africa in 1994 following the end of apartheid.

The flag has been a centre of controversy with some people viewing it as a symbol of history and Afrikaner heritage while others view it as a symbol of apartheid and of white supremacy.

Adoption

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The South African Red Ensign used unofficially until 1928

Prior to 1928, the only flag that had official status in the Union of South Africa was the Union Jack as South Africa was part of the British Empire. However the South African Red Ensign was used as an unofficial flag. In 1925, discussion rose about creating a new flag for South Africa as many decendants of Boers found the Union Jack unacceptable after the Boer War.[3] In 1926 the Balfour Declaration granted South Africa Dominon status and a new flag was to be used to represent them. British settlers wanted the Union Jack in the new flag as part of the British Empire and the Afrikaaners didn't. A compromise was reached whereby the new flag would consist of the Prince's Flag as this was the first flag raised on South Africa and a badge of the Union Jack in the centre with the flags of the Orange Free State and the South African Republic.[3] The Union Jack was mirrored in the new flag so that it did not take precedence over the others.[3]

In 1927, the Afrikaaner majority Parliament of South Africa passed the Union Nationality & Flag Act, which stated that the Union Jack and the new Flag of the Union of South Africa were to have equal status as the flag of South Africa. The act came into force in 1928 when both flags were raised over the Houses of Parliament, Cape Town and the Union Buildings in Pretoria [4] This dual status was ended in 1957 with the passing of the Flags Amendment Act which declared that the Oranje-Blanje-Blou would be the sole flag of South Africa with the act also declaring that Die Stem van Suid-Afrika would be the country's sole anthem and dropping God Save the Queen.[3]

the three flags in the centre

Following independence from the United Kingdom in 1961, the flag remained the same. The Afrikaaner voting majority disliked the flag retaining the Union Jack in the centre. Repeated calls were made for it to be removed or for a new flag but no action was taken by the ruling National Party until 1971. B.J. Vorster convened a commission in 1968 to create a new flag in time for the 10th anniversary of South Africa's declaration of independence, though no changes were eventually made.[5] The flag was treated with respect by Afrikaners with daily flag salutes in schools.[6] It was also used as part of celebrations of the inauguration of the President of South Africa.[7]

Opposition

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Gradually, the Oranje-Blanje-Blou became associated with the apartheid regime. Movements like the Black Sash[8] and Umkhonto we Sizwe started protesting against it with their own symbols. Often the flag of South Africa would be removed from public display and replaced with the banned ANC flag. The flag would also be the subject of public burnings during anti-apartheid protests.[9]

After 1989, F.W. de Klerk was elected president and immediately unbanned the African National Congress (ANC) and released their leader Nelson Mandela from prison. de Klerk instigated negotiations to end apartheid in South Africa with Mandela's ANC. One of the ANC's demands was that the South African flag be gradually not used in South African life as well as requesting that a new flag be created as black South Africans associated the current one with apartheid and Afrikaner nationalism.[10] The negotiations led to the South African apartheid referendum, 1992 which later led to the International Rugby Board allowing the South Africa national rugby union team to play test matches again. The ANC agreed to endorse the team on the provision that the flag not be used. However during the return test, the Conservative Party handed out numerous South African flags to the majority white crowd as a symbol of defiance against the ANC.[11]

In 1994 the State Herald of South Africa, Fred Brownell was approached to design a new national flag for South Africa to replace the Oranje, Blanje, Blou in time for the first elections after apartheid. He designed the new flag of South Africa with a combination of the Oranje, Blanje, Blou and the colours of the ANC flag. The new flag design was approved personally by both de Klerk and Mandela before being unanimously approved by the Transitional Executive Council on 15 March 1994. de Klerk made the public proclamation of the replacement of the old flag on 20 April, seven days before the 1994 South African general election.[12]

Post 1994

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The Oranje, Blanje, Blou at the Castle of Good Hope in 2006

Following the loss of its status as the flag of South Africa, the Oranje, Blanje, Blou was adopted as a symbol of Afrikaaner heritage and history.[2] However many still view it as a symbol of apartheid and usage was greatly discouraged.[13] Despite these associations, it was never banned by the Government of South Africa post-1994 and the right to display it is protected under Chapter Two of the Constitution of South Africa as an expression of free speech.[14] In the 21st century, usage of the Oranje, Blanje, Blou experienced a revival of display as a symbol by white supremacists worldwide.[15] A particular awareness of this was after the Charleston church shooting in the United States where the perpetrator had a jacket with the Oranje, Blanje, Blou and Flag of Rhodesia on it.[16] This association with apartheid and racism often led to calls for Oranje, Blanje, Blou flags that were used in a historical context, to be removed from display. An example of this is Cooma, Australia where it is flown to commemorate South African workers in the Snowy Mountains Scheme.[17]

The flag has also been used as a symbol of protest post-1994. In 2005, a statue of King Makhado was vandalised in Louis Trichardt with the colours of the Oranje, Blanje, Blou as a protest against a proposal to change the name of the town to Makhado.[18] Some South Africans in the 21st century started to fly the Oranje, Blanje, Blou as a protest against a perceived failure of the ANC to make progress in governing South Africa as a democracy.[19]

At Cape Town's Castle of Good Hope, the Oranje, Blanje, Blou was flown from the castle alongside the Union Jack, flag of the Netherlands and the current flag of South Africa to display the powers that ruled South Africa through history. In 1994 it was agreed that they would remain on the castle parapet as part of historical reference. However in 2012 following complaints from the ANC's Nomfunelo Mabedla MP, all the flags were removed from the parapet apart from the current flag of South Africa and the removed flags were placed in the castle's museum.[20]

References

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  1. ^ "How an old Dutch flag became a racist symbol". The Economist. 2015-06-22. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  2. ^ a b Merten, Marianne (2015-04-13). "Post-Statue SA: What will be left when the toppling is done?". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  3. ^ a b c d "South Africa (1928-1994)". Crwflags.com. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  4. ^ "1927. Union Nationality & Flag Act". The O'Malley Archives. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  5. ^ "New flag". Glasgow Herald. 1968-09-12. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  6. ^ "My old South African Flag". Daily Maverick. 2013-12-10. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  7. ^ "De Klerk Sworn In, Pledges S. African Reforms". Los Angles Times. 1989-09-21. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  8. ^ "South Africa Women and Apartheid". Photius.com. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  9. ^ "The Anti-Apartheid Struggle in South Africa (1912-1992)". Nonviolent-conflict.org. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  10. ^ Buhlungu, Sakhela (1997). State of the Nation: South Africa 2007. A&C Black. p. 414. ISBN 0718500725.
  11. ^ Black, David Ross (1998). Rugby and the South African Nation. Manchester University Press. p. 115. ISBN 0719049326.
  12. ^ "Fred Brownell: The man who made South Africa's flag". BBC News. 2014-04-27. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  13. ^ Van der Westhuizen, Christi (2007). White Power & the Rise and Fall of the National Party. Zebra Press. p. 326. ISBN 978-1770073050.
  14. ^ "Old flag still legal". News24.com. 2009-12-09. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  15. ^ Josh Sanburn (2015-06-18). "Dylann Roof Wears Flag Linked to White Supremacy Groups". Time. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  16. ^ Nick Baumann (18 June 2015). "Dylann Roof Had A Rhodesian Flag On His Jacket - Here's What That Tells Us". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  17. ^ Beech, Alexandra (2015-08-05). "South Africa's apartheid-era flag to keep flying at Cooma's Avenue of Flags: Mayor". ABC News. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  18. ^ "King's statue vandalised". News24.com. 2005-09-14. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  19. ^ Kiva, Mpumi (2015-03-13). "'Why we fly old flag at our Cape home'". IOL. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  20. ^ "Row erupts over Castle flags". IOL. 2012-11-30. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
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