South Africa -Proposals for New Flags

Last modified: 2001-03-09 by jarig bakker
Keywords: south africa | proposals | contest | competition | ramlukan (lalsingh) | natal witness |
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• The 'Walker' flag (1926)
• The 'Cross flags' (1927)
• Flag Committee proposals (1927)
• SAP proposal (1927)
• 'shield flag' (1927)
• Senate flag (1927)
• Competition in 1927
• Natal Witness' contest in 1992

• South Africa
• Competition in 1993

In the early 1920s the Nationalists started to call for a national flag. In September/October 1924 The Sunday Times held a public competition. Out of thousands of entries the first prize was awarded to Mr. G.E. Remington of Johannesburg. His design consisted of green and yellow stripes to symbolize the four provinces.

The 'Walker' flag (1926)

In 1925 the government invited the public to send flag designs, some 3000 were received by February 1926. The appointed Select Committee failed to agree on a flag, mostly because the government parties wanted a 'clean flag', and the SAP (South African Party) wanted the Union Jack included (and the old flags of the Boer republics). The majority favoured the proposal submitted by historian Prof. Eric Walker. This so called 'Walker flag' consisted of a vertical red stripe at the hoist (for the Cape), and three horizontal stripes: green (for Transvaal), yellow (to replace the unheraldic orange for the Orange Free State) and blue (for Natal). Although a clean flag, it looked very much like the Transvaal Vierkleur.

The 'Cross flags' (1927)

by Mark Sensen, 23 Mar 2000

by Mark Sensen, 23 Mar 2000

In 1927 the Flag Commission appointed by the government approved three designs. At first Design number 1 (orange over blue with a white cross) was favoured, but later Design number 2 (green with a St. George's cross fimbriated white) was put forward. This became known as the 'Red Cross flag'.

Flag Committee proposals (1927)

  by Mark Sensen, 23 Mar 2000

  by Mark Sensen, 23 Mar 2000

The opposition insisted on a prominent place for the Union Jack, and during the Flag Conference with the Flag Commission in Cape Town, April/May 1927, the Flag Committee suggested three designs.

SAP proposal (1927)

In June 1927 the SAP proposed a flag divided quarterly by a white cross, in the top hoist the Union Jack, in the top fly the old Free State flag, in the lower hoist the old Transvaal flag, and in the lower fly a springbok on a blue field.

'shield flag' (1927)

Now the government came up with a design with in the center of the 'Van Riebeeck flag' (horizontal orange-white-blue) within  a blue bordure and a white inner bordure a shield divided quarterly containing the Union Jack, the Free State Vierkleur, the Transvaal Vierkleur, and four white stars on a blue shield. This so called 'shield flag' passed the House of Assembly.

Senate flag (1927)

The Senate however didn't pass or reject this flag, but changed the design to "quarterly of four, party per cross argent: (1) Union Jack, (2) Old Orange Free State flag, (3) Old Transvaal Vierkleur, (4) Azure, four stars argent". The House of Assembly rejected this amendment.

Finally in October both sides agreed to adopt the 'Van Riebeeck flag' with the Union Jack and the republican flag placed in a irregular cross, and this flag passed both the House of Assembly and the Senate.
Sources:
Harry Saker, 'The South African flag controversy 1925-1928', Cape Town, 1980.
C. Pama, 'Lions and virgins; heraldic state symbols, coats-of-arms, flags, seals and other symbols of authority in South Africa, 1487-1962', Cape Town-Pretoria, 1965.
C. Pama, 'Die Unievlag; sy oorsprong, betekenis en gebruik', Kaapstad-Bloemfontein-Johannesburg, 1957.
Mark Sensen, 23 Mar 2000

1927

by Antonio Martins, 16 April 1997

an "Oranje ensign": a Union Flag in the canton of a horizontal hexaband (?) orange-white-orange-white-orange-white.

by Antonio Martins, 16 April 1997

a chequered ensign, with a Union Flag in the canton of a 8x6 chess board of orange and green (the Union Flag obviously, is superimposed to the upper left 4x3 squares).

by Antonio Martins, 16 April 1997

Once again a Union Flag canton, a dutch tricolor in the upper fly, and a white-orange-white triband in the lower half. The remaining green from the Transvaal flag is 1/2 x 1/2 in the lower hoist. The meanings of these proposals are quite strightforward. I've reduced all these "weird UJ" designs to 1:2 (with 1/2 x 1 canton when possible), some original seem to have other proportions or are waved or unmesurable.
Antonio Martins, 16 April 1997

1992

Several unoficial flags bear the dove of peace. One of them the proposed flag for the new South Africa that won the contest of the Natal Witness, 22 August 1992, designed by Lalsingh Ramlukan