QwaQwa, 1975

Initially named “Kwakwa”, QwaQwa, also called Basotho Qwaqwa, was a tiny territory in northeastern Orange Free State, bordering Lesotho and Natal and designated as a homeland for more than 180,000 South Sotho (Basotho) people. Its name was a San (Bushmen) name pronounced with two clicks, meaning “whiter than white”, referring to white rock formations or frequent snow on the Drakensberg mountains. On 1 November 1974, QwaQwa received self-government, with its capital in Phuthaditjhaba. Its flag was green (symbolising the land), with a black Basotho pony and two orange stripes representing the Kwena and the Tlokwa, the two tribes living there; its colour referred to the original links with the Orange Free State.