Union of South Africa, 1928

The British Ensign flag, adopted when the Union of South Africa came into being, was unacceptable for many people, particularly of Boer extraction: it symbolised British imperialism. There were various design proposals until a compromise design was decided on; it would be flown side by side with the Union Jack. The new National Flag, hoisted for the first time on 31 May 1928, was based on the “Prinsenvlag”, the orange-white-blue flag that Jan van Riebeek supposedly had raised when he landed at the Cape in 1652. In the centre of the white stripe were small versions of the Union Jack, the old Orange Free State flag hanging vertically and the old Transvaal (South African Republic) flag. On 6 April 1957, the Flag Amendment Act decreed the Union Jack would no longer be flown side by side with the National flag.