Whats the meaning behind the South African flag?
The flag was initially intended go be interim. The brief was that the colours should not necessarily represent anything other than they should built towards reconciliation. The colours represent all major political powers of the day. One way or the other each of these had their colour included – PFP, NP, Ikatha, ANC, PAC, the old flag. It was selected by Cyril Ramaphosa (I was part of the Ramaphosa team) and Roelf Meyer. The Y was said to represent the “coming together” of people from different and opposing backgrounds. These groups – for or supporting apartheid, and those opposed to apartheid, meeting at the Y junction to move together to a better future. Then flag – as with the national anthem – was to be a temporary arrangement. I am told that because of the positive reception, it stayed on. I kind of like it, too.
