FLAG FUN : South Africa

BY HUGO RICHARDS

Following the Union Jack, we’re focusing on the uniquely designed South African flag, selected because all of the colours and shapes have different meanings and symbolize different things, which is interesting.​
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In 1993, a competition was held to select the new South African flag. Fredrick Brownell’s flag idea was chosen and is pictured here. 

The Y shape in the middle represents "the convergence of diverse elements within South African society, taking the road ahead in unity". It is the only flag to have six colours, and the only flag to not have a seal or brocade. 

The flag shown was used instead of a tricolour of orange, white, and blue, with the flags of former British colonies of Cape Colony and Natal with the Union Flag on the left, followed by the flags of the former Boer republics of Orange Free State and the South African Republic on the right. 

This flag was first flown on April 27, 1994, on the day of the 1994 election. At the time, it was only meant to be an interim flag (meaning a temporary flag), but they used it full-time right before the 1994 elections. One of the most used nick-names for this flag is the Rainbow Flag because South Africa is known as the Rainbow Republic.    

SOURCES : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_South_Africa
https://buzzsouthafrica.com/interesting-facts-about-south-african-flag/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/flag-of-South-Africa