South Africa Flag

How to identify it

A horizontal green Y (a pall) outlined in white and gold, separating red above from blue below, with a black triangle next to the flagpole. It is the only national flag using six colours in its primary design.

Design and construction

Proportions

2:3

Adoption and legal status

27 April 1994

Construction

Government specifications define the pall geometry, the thin border widths and the exact colour references.

Officially documented meaning

Official guidance from the South African government states that no universal symbolism should be read into the individual colours; the converging Y is described as the convergence of diverse elements taking the road ahead together.

History of the design

The design by Frederick Brownell was produced under severe time pressure for the 1994 election and was first flown as an interim flag before being retained permanently in the 1996 constitution.

Sources