Transkei, 1966

The Great Kei River formed the eastern boundary of the Cape Province, north of which was the traditional territory of the Xhosa people, the Transkei, which received internal self-government in 1963. It was a reasonably large region between Lesotho and the Indian Ocean, with two small exclaves, Maluti and Umzimkulu, and its capital was Umtata (Mthatha). A flag - horizontal ochre-white-green - was adopted on 20 May 1966 and officially hoisted on South Africa’s) Republic Day, 31 May 1966. The red-ochre represents the colour of the soil or “Imbola” from which Xhosa huts are built. It is also the colour of traditional blankets; white denotes peace, and green represents Transkei’s rolling hills. On 26 October 1976, the Republic of Transkei was given independence, although no country apart from South Africa recognised it.