This article lists the flags of the various colonies and states that have existed inSouth Africa since 1652, as well as other flags pertaining to South Africa, including governmental, military, police and provincial flags.
The following flags have been used as the national flag of the Union of South Africa and the Republic of South Africa:
| Flag | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
 | 1910–1957 | Blue field on which theCross of Saint Andrewcounterchanged with theCross of Saint Patrick, over all theCross of Saint Georgefimbriated. |
.svg) | 1910–1912 | A BritishRed Ensign with the shield of the coat of arms of theUnion of South Africa. |
.svg) | 1912–1928 | A BritishRed Ensign with the shield of the coat of arms of theUnion of South Africa on a white roundel. |
.svg) | Flag of South Africa 1928–1994 | Orange, white, and blue horizontal stripes, on the white stripe, a backwardsUnion Flag towards the hoist, theOrange Free State flag hanging vertically and theflag of the South African Republic, towards the fly. Used for both theUnion and laterRepublic of South Africa |
 | Flag of South Africa 1994–present | Two horizontal bands of chilli red (top) and blue (bottom) with a black triangle at the hoist, over all a green horizontal (pall) (Y-shape), fimbriated white against the red and blue and gold against the black. |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1652–1795 | The Prince's Flag | A horizontaltriband oforange,white andblue. |
 | 1652–1795 | States Flag | A horizontal triband of red, white and blue. The blue is a lighter shade than that of the current national flag |
 | 1652–1795, 1803–1806 | Flag of theVereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie | |
.svg) | 1795–1801 | Flag of theKingdom of Great Britain | the Flags of England and Scotland superimposed. |
| 1801–1803 | Union Jack | The flag was used in the occupation of TheDutch Cape Colony until 1803, only to be reintroduced in 1806. |
 | 1803–1806 | Flag of the Batavian Republic | A horizontal triband of red, white and blue with the Republic’s emblem in the canton. |
 | 1839–1843 | Natalia Republic | |
 | 1857–1902 | Orange Free State | |
 | 1857–74, 1875–77, 1881–1902 | South African Republic (Transvaal Republic) | ('Vierkleur') |
 | 1870–71 | Flag of theDiggers' Republic | ('Diamond flag') |
 | 1870–71 | Flag of theDiggers' Republic | ('Klipdrift flag') |
 | 1874–1875 | South African Republic (Transvaal Republic) | ('Thomas François Burgers'sVoortrekker flag'). A red saltire outlined in white on a dark blue field. |
.svg) | 1875–1910 | Colony of Natal | |
.svg) | 1876–1910 | Cape Colony | Ablue ensign defaced with theshield-of-arms of Cape Colony |
 | 1883–1885 | State of Goshen | |
 | 1883 | Stellaland | |
 | 1883–1885 | Stellaland | |
 | 1884–1888 | Nieuwe Republiek | |
 | 1890–1891 | Klein Vrystaat | |
 | 1902–1910 | Orange River Colony | A blue ensign defaced with a springbok antelope in a disc[1] |
.svg) | 1904–1910 | Transvaal Colony | A blue ensign defaced with a disc showing a lion lying on an African plain with palm trees.[2] |
| 1910–1912 | Union of South Africa (Merchant flag) | |
| 1912–1951 | Union of South Africa (Merchant flag) | |
.svg) | 1910–1928 | Union of South Africa (State Ensign and naval jack) |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910–1957 | Union of South Africa | The flag was a co-official flag until 1957 when the flag of the Union of South Africa became the sole official flag. |
| 1928–1982 | Republic/Union of South Africa | The flag using a darker shade of "Union" blue common before the early 1980s. |
.svg) | 1982–1994 | Republic of South Africa | The flag using a lighter shade of "Solway" blue as specified by the South African government in 1982. |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1966–1994 | Transkei | |
.svg) | 1973–1994 | Bophuthatswana | |
 | 1973–1994 | Ciskei | |
 | 1973–1994 | Gazankulu | |
.svg) | 1973–1994 | Venda | |
 | 1974–1994 | Lebowa | |
.svg) | 1975–1994 | QwaQwa | |
.svg) | 1977–1985 | KwaZulu (1) | |
 | 1982–1994 | KwaNdebele | |
.svg) | 1985–1994 | KwaZulu (2) |
As a result of thesporting boycott of South Africa over its policy ofapartheid, South Africadid not participate in the Olympic Games between 1964 and 1988. The country was re-admitted to the Olympic movement in 1991.[3] As a result of a dispute over what flag and national anthem to use following readmission, the team participated in the1992 Summer Olympic Games under the National Olympic Committee flag. The flag consisted of a white field charged with grey diamond, which represented the countries mineral wealth, three cascading bands of blue, red and green, which represented the sea, the land and agriculture respectively and the Olympic rings.[4][3] This flag was also used to represent the South African team at the1992 Summer Paralympics. Team uniforms included the emblem ofOlympic Committee of South Africa, which depicted Olympic rings surrounded by olive branches, with the name of the country above. The team would use Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" as its victory anthem at these games. At the1994 Winter Games, South Africa participated under the flag of its Olympic committee.
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| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994–present | Republic of South Africa |
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Between 1910 and 1994, South Africa was divided into four provinces,Cape Province,Natal,Orange Free State andTransvaal. These provinces had their own coat of arms but not their own flags.
In April 1994, South Africa was divided intonine provinces. Each province was granted a coat of arms, in most cases designed by State HeraldFrederick Brownell. Currently only one province,Mpumalanga, has adopted an official provincial flag, doing so in February 1996.[5] The other eight provinces can be represented by white banners charged with their coats of arms.
The government of South Africa opened a competition open to the public. While the "Walker Flag" had some support, ultimately none of the designs were chosen.[6][7]
In 1927, the government set up a flag commission, which came up with three designs, the "Cross Flags". Due to the opposition insisting on the Union Jack being featured, the commission created three more designs at the Flag Conference in April and May of 1927.[6]
In June of 1927, theSouth African Party proposed a flag with four elements divided by a white cross, and the government proposed a version with a shield defacing thePrinsenvlag. The Senate then combined elements from both into a third proposal. Finally, in October of 1927, a compromise was reached and theFlag of South Africa (1928–1994) was introduced.[6]
In the 1960s, there was pressure to change the flag, particularly fromAfrikaners who resented the fact that the Union Flag was a part of the flag. The then prime minister, DrHendrik Verwoerd, had his assistant secretary, HC Blatt, design a "clean" flag, comprising three vertical stripes of orange, white, and blue, with a leapingspringbok over a wreath of sixproteas in the centre, designed, but he was assassinated before he could introduce it, and the project died with him in 1966.[8]
TheNatal Witness newspaper held a competition for a new flag design, which was won by Lalsingh Ramlukan with a design featuring four cupped hands and a blue dove.[6]
The Commission on National Symbols proposed six designs in October 1993.[9]
A group of professional graphic design studios proposed several flag designs in November 1993.[9]
The Joint Technical Working Committee shortlisted 5 designs in February 1994. A further design was proposed also by theAfrican National Congress (ANC) based on a design shortlisted in October 1993. Proposal 4, designed by State HeraldFrederick Brownell, was submitted to theTransitional Executive Council and approved as the final choice for the new flag.[9]
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