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![[Flag of South Africa]](../images/z/za.gif)
by Mark Sensen and Antonio Martins, 9 Mar 2000
South Africa's current flag - designed for the "interim" period - should
remain the country's national flag under the final constitution which comes
into force in 1999, the Constituional Assembly (charged with writing the
final constitution) recommended on 28 September 1995.
Bruce Berry, 2 Oct 1995
South Africans call this the "rainbow nation" based on the multi racial,
multi ethnic and multi cultural composition of the country, hence many
refer to the new flag as the "rainbow" flag.... I spend a considerable
amount of time explaining that the gay movement already uses this phrase
for
their flag and that we should think of another
term when refering to our national flag!!!
Bruce Berry, 9 May 1996
I remember when the current ZA flag was chosen April 27, 1994, that
it was to be in place for a five-year period with an option to renew -
that five-year period, will be up in a few months, is there any movement
to change the flag, or is the flag too well-loved there?
David Kendall, 13 Feb 1999
When the new SA flag was chosen it was regarded as an "interim" flag
in line with the "interim" constitution through which South Africa achieved
full democracy in 1994. Subsequently, a Constitutional Assembly has
drawn up a new Constitution (adopted on 8 May 1996 and amended on 11 October
1996) which was enacted by Parliament as Act Number 108 of 1996.
As part of the process in drawing up the new Constitution, the question
was asked whether the flag should be retained or a new one designed.
The overwhelming response was the new flag should be retained. Consequently,
the flag is now "permanent" and is
described in Schedule 1 of the Constitution.
So the existing South African flag is here to stay.
Bruce Berry, 15 Feb 1999
The current South African flag was designed by Mr Fred Brownell, State
Herald (and SAVA Chairperson).
Bruce Berry, 26 March 1999
The South African flag is one of the most recognisable in the world
- yet does not have a name.
So when wildlife tourism publishers, WildNet Africa published Flying
With Pride: The Story Of The South African Flag, they called for suggestions.
They have released the first 100 suggestions, which include fascinating
and thought-provoking names. There's AmaFlappaFlappa, Fluttering
Rainbow, Yebo Flag, Shosholoza and Forever Glorious.
Nkosi Johnson - the late child Aids activist - was another idea Former president Nelson Mandela gets plenty of mention too. Some people want the flag to be known as Madiba, or Madiba's Rainbow, the Mandela Flag, or even just Nelson.
"Pride" and "rainbow" got plenty of mentions - Pride of Africa; Rainbow of Hope, Rainbow Pride, Rainbow Warrior, as did Renaissance, South Africa Good Hope, South Africa Pride, the Ray of Hope, the Rainbow and The Winds of Change.
While the name will eventually be decided by the custodians of the country's national symbols, the government's Bureau of Heraldry, Dr Andrew McKenzie, director of special projects at WildNet Africa, said that people could still send in suggestions to the website FlyingWithPride.co.za, or to PO Box 73528, Lynnwood Ridge, 0040.
"We want to keep the debate open and alive," McKenzie said.
Bruce Berry, 2 Jul 2002
![[ISCOR logo]](../images/z/za$iscor.gif)
sent by Neville Purdon, 21 Mar 2001
In South Africa the largest iron ore producer has a 'Y' flag. Many of
us in SA believe that this is where the so-called 'New' South African flag
got its origin. This flag, however, is not as widely accepted as many would
like to believe; most South Africans still follow the original flag which
has history. We don't follow this new monstrosity. Attached is the Iscor
flag (The Afrikaans name is Yskor)
Neville Purdon, 18 Mar 2001
Do you know if there was any input from the iron ore company in the
designing of the new South African flag? I think the
connection is rather remote. I wonder what "ISCOR" is - maybe "The
Iron and Steel Company of RSA"?
Rob Raeside, 21 Mar 2001
Your guess is not far from it. ISCOR - Iron and Steel Corporation; YSKOR
- Yster en Staal Korporasie. I have never seen it as a flag though, merely
as a company logo and perhaps a logo type of flag (as that is quit common
in RSA). As far as I know it had absolutely nothing to do with the new
ZA flag
Franc Van Diest, 22 Mar 2001
Franc is correct. ISCOR does stand for the Iron and Steel Corp.
of South Africa. The symbol is a combination of the I (for
Iron) and Y (for the Afrikaans “Yster”). There is no connection between
this symbol (logo) and the new South African flag.
Bruce Berry, 22 Mar 2001
All four colonies had flag badges - they formed the four quarters of
the post-1910 flag badge which was itself the shield of arms of the Union
of South Africa (and, if I recall correctly, is still used by the "New
South Africa" today, as no-one has yet come up with a better design acceptable
to all)
Roy Stilling, 2 Oct 1996
Yes - SAVA published a Journal entitled "The Union Jack over Southern
and Central Africa, 1795 - 1994" in 1994 which covers all these flags (and
those used in what is now Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Botswana, Malawi etc).
Bruce Berry, 7 Oct 1996
See for separate articles on the colonies :
![[SA flag construction sheet]](../images/z/za-cons.gif)
sent by Bruce Berry, 27 Nov 2000 - !click on the image for a 640
x 466 image!
At this
site is a construction sheet that describes the flag of South Africa.
Quite simple specifications: 2:3 background, length of the pall 1/5th of
the height, length of the pale plus fimbriations 1/3rd (thus fimbriations
are 1/15th), arms of the pale parallel to the hoist semi-diagonals of the
flag. Colors are described by names only ("gold" is used, not "yellow")
but red is defined as "red (chilli)".
Antonio Martins, 9 Mar 2000
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