Last modified: 2002-05-31 by jarig bakker
Keywords: boer | south africa | vryheidsvlag | vierkleur | orania | kp |
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![[Vryheidsvlag]](../images/z/za_vryh.gif)
by Antonio Martins, 2 Mar 1999
In South Africa there is a political movement (or party) called "Afrikaner Volksfront" (Popular Front), which tries to set up an independent Boer state. They use a flag very similar to Transvaal's "Vierkleur", but the red stripe replaced with an orange one. This flag is called "Vryheidsvlag" (freedom flag).
The "Volksrepubliek Werkgroep" made a proposal for a constitution of
this imagined state. In article 19.16.3 it is written:
Today's freedom flag (green and orange, white, blue) must be tightened
by the Afrikaaner.
But there was also a request to me by one who wished to know, who used
the flag with "a yellow, maybe orange, stripe". So it seems that there
are two flags: an older one with a yellow and a newer one with an orange
stripe. Or maybe the orange is because of the former ZA national flag.
Carsten Linke, 13 June 1996
As far as I am aware this is new, although the design has been popular
amongst independent-minded Afrikaners for a good while now. The "Vryheidsvlag"
mentioned has been registered with the SA Bureau of Heraldry by the Afrikaner
Volksfront as indicated in SAVA Newsletter 14/95 of December 1995.
Bruce Berry, 14 Jun 1996
Transvaal flag (or Vierkleur) is used by the Afrikaner Volksfront
(Afrikaner People's Movement, AVF) as their
Vryheidsflag (Freedom's
flag), with an orange stripe replacing the red one.
Filip Van Laenen, 3 Oct 1996
The "vierkleur" design has also been adopted by the Boerestaatparty
- another Afrikaner organisation seeking an independent "volkstaat" - with
the vertical stripe in green and the horizontal stripes, black, white and
blue.
Bruce Berry, 14 June 1996
The vierkleur in different coloured variations seems to be indeed
a very popular symbol of Boer movements. There are not so many national
flags of this type in the world, I think only the one of the United Arab
Emirates.
Carsten Linke, 14 June 1996
Last night on ABCTV news there was a report on a new attempt by South
African Boers to set up their own homeland (they're seeking $20m from the
UK - as compensation for the Boer War - to fund the project). A flag was
briefly shown - I only caught a glimpse - a red, white and blue horizontal
tricolour; with a vertical green stripe occupying the hoist.
David Cohen, 17 Oct 1997
I'm not a 100% sure, but I believe you might have the proportions of
the Vierkleur and the Vryheidsvlag wrong. Although many people like to
give the vertical bar the same width as that of the horizontal bars, I
believe (In the case of the Vryheidsvlag, I know, because I bought one
from Orania) the correct proportions of the vertical bar is one third the
(horizontal) lenght of the vlag, e.a. the same proportion as the width
of a bar in a vertical tricolor flag.
Hanno den Boer, 13 Mar 2002
Afrikaner Popular Front / Afrikaner Volksfront: granted 31 Oct 1995
Description: A rectangular flag, proportion 2:3, consisting of three
horizontal stripes of equal width, from top to bottom, orange, white
and blue, and at the hoist a vertical green stripe one and one quarter
the width of each of the other three stripes.
Source: Data
of the Bureau of Heraldry on registered heraldic representations.
Mark Sensen, 19 May 2002
Vrye Republikeinse Beweging (Free Republican Movement, formerly Afrikaner
Volksfront): granted 16 May 1997
Description: A rectangular flag, proportion 2:3, consisting of three
horizontal stripes of equal width, from top to bottom, orange, white and
blue, and at the hoist a vertical green stripe one and one quarter the
width of each of the other three stripes.
Source: Data
of the Bureau of Heraldry on registered heraldic representations.
Mark Sensen, 19 May 2002
![[Conservative Party / Konserwatiewe Party flag]](../images/z/za}kp.gif)
by Mark Sensen, 20 Oct 1997
I found the logo of the Conservative Party or Konserwatiewe Party van
Suid-Afrika. The logo is accompanied right and left by the flag of the
ZAR
(Zuid Afrikaanse Republiek) at this website,
probably connected with the Vryheidsvlag - Afrikaner Popular Front.
I don't know whether this is the KP-flag too...
Jarig Bakker, 8 Jan 2002
Some years ago the flag of the Conservative party was the old south
african flags (O-W-B) with logo in center. Logo you posted is the
same that was in the flag but yellow-orange, instead of lemon-yellow.
Jaume Ollé, 20 Jan 2002
![[Flag of Orania]](../images/z/za-oran.gif)
by Mark Sensen, 20 Oct 1997
I think the name Orania is derived from the river Oranje/Orange. The
home page of Orania shows a map. On this map (the North Cape) Orania is
only one village a bit southwest of where the rivers Oranje and Vaal come
together. The homeland they plan for the Afrikaners is between the river
Oranje and the Atlantic Ocean, so part of the Cape, not of the Free State
nor Transvaal. Their flag is not solely based on that of Transvaal, but
the red is changed to orange for the Free State. According to BoereData
the "Vryheidsvlag" or new "Vierkleur" was first hoisted in the night of
26/27 april 1994 (so when the apartheid was abolished officially!). It's
not only a combination of the pattern of the flag of the South African
Republic (Transvaal) with the orange from the flag of Orange Free State.
It's also the orange-white-blue of the "Prinseflag"
of the "Dietse" ancestors of the Boers, and of the flag of the Rep. of
South Africa after the British rule, with a green stripe at the hoist.
The flag is being registered by the Office for Heraldry.
Mark Sensen, 20 Oct 1997
On the Flags of Aspirant Peoples, published in 1994 by the Flag Society
of Australia and the Flag Research Center, is the flag of "Orandia (White
homeland) - South Africa." Vertical orange-white-blue, Emblem in the white
stripe: green ground plan of the castle of Good Hope, outlined in grey,
and including a monument (?) on a light blue background enclosed in a white-black
hatched circle. The chart effectively shows a small black stripe at the
hoist.
Ivan Sache, 12 Sep 1999
About the Orania flag (the vertical tricolour): I haven't seen this
flag before. You mention there that there is a monument in it, but show
you are not sure which one. Chances are this would be the Voortrekker monument
in Pretoria. It is one of the most important symbols of Afrikaner nationalism.
You should be able to get a picture of the monument in any decent book
on Pretoria, it is quite a big building.
Hanno den Boer, 10 Dec 2001
It is actually not a tricolour but has four vertical stripes with the one nearest the hoist being a thin black stripe. Hanno is correct in assuming that the monument depicted on the flag is that of the Voortrekker Monument near Pretoria, which is in the centre of an outline of the Cape Town castle - the oldest building in the country. The castle outline is also found on the flags of the services flags of the SA Defence Force.
The following description and background is from SAVA Newsletter 2/91 which carried an article and illustration of this flag.
The flag originated in the early 1990s when the "Orandia Development
Corporation" was established with the express purpose of establishing a
"white homeland" to be called Orandia in the western part of South Africa.
The town of Orania was purchased and was to be the centre of this activity.
The flag is based on the former flag of South Africa, having vertical instead
of horizontal stripes. The orange stripe represents the freedom struggle
of the people of Orandia with the white stripe standing for cleanliness
of thought, conduct and purpose. The castle outline in the centre indicates
the origin of the "white" nation in South Africa with the landing of Dutch
settlers in the Cape in 1652, with the surrounding protecting wall symbolising
the protection of the nation's seed. The castle' inner 'face' is green
to suggest life from the soil, on which the nation will multiply.
Inside the castle a closed wagon laager encircles a stylised Voortrekker
Monument symbolising the protection given to Orandia as the Nation of the
Vow. The monument serves as a reminder of the slaughter that took place
at the Battle of Blood River and of the sacrifices and perseverance of
the predecessor of Orandia. The blue stripe shows the European origins
of the forefathers of the people of Orandia and symbolises humanity and
faith. The black sleeve nearest the hoist shows that Orandians are prepared
to live peaceably the people of other races and that good neighbourliness
and trade should prevail.
Bruce Berry, 10 Dec 2001
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