Over the past century, distinctive flags have been devised for and adopted by South
Africa on three occasions. The first of these came soon after Union in 1910 and
followed a standard pattern applied throughout the British Empire. The second saw
the hoisting in 1928 of a national flag in recognition of South Africa’s independence.
This flag served South Africa for two generations, but was progressively rejected by
sections of the population as a symbol of apartheid. The momentous announcement
by President F.W. de Klerk at the opening of parliament on 2 February 1993 set in
motion the formal negotiation process within South Africa, which came to fruition on
27 April 1994. As part of this process, the present national flag came into being. This
article sets out the steps taken and how the process initially floundered. It also
considers how the final design of the new national flag, which has become the
primary symbol of identification of South Africa and its people, finally came into
being.
Oor die afgelope eeu is onderskeidende vlae by drie geleenthede vir Suid-Afrika
ontwerp en in gebruik geneem. Eerstens, kort na Uniewording in 1910, is ’n
standaarde patroon wat dwarsdeur die Britse Ryk toegepas is, nagevolg. Tweedens, is
’n nasionale vlag, ter erkenning van Suid-Afrikaanse onafhanklikheid, in 1928 gehys.
Hierdie vlag, wat die land twee geslagte lank gedien het, is egter toenemend deur dele
van die bevolking met apartheid vereenselwig en stelselmatig verwerp. Tydens die
parlementsopening op 2 Februarie 1990, het Staatspresident F.W. de Klerk se
opspraakwekkende aankondiging die formele onderhandelingsproses binne Suid-
Afrika aan die gang gesit. As deel van hierdie proses wat op 27 April 1994 vrug gedra
het, is die huidige nasionale vlag ingewy. Hierdie artikel skets die stappe wat gevolg
is en hoe die proses aanvanklik skipbreuk gely het. Dit skenk ook aandag aan hoe die
finale ontwerp van die nasionale vlag, wat as die vernaamste identifikasiesimbool van
Suid-Afrika en sy mense beskou word, uiteindelik ontstaan het.
