Last modified: 2022-02-12 by bruce berry
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In southeast South Africa, re-organized from the former
Natal
province minus local parts of Transkei. Borders
Eastern
Cape (with exclave), Free State, Mpumalanga,
Mozambique,
Swaziland
and Lesotho. Includes the former homeland of
KwaZulu.
Antonio Martins, 30 May 1999
There are discussions for a flag for the new province of KwaZulu-Natal.
A provincial constitution has been tabled before the Constitutional Court
but has been referred back for further amendment. This is the most critical
issue and the question of a provincial flag (or Arms) has not received
much attention over the past 18 months.
Bruce Berry, 19 February 1998
The South African government page on state symbols (which is mirrored
on the ANC-site) lists under "current flags" a KwaZulu-Natal
Flag; that flag is nearly identical to the one here.
That flag is of the former homeland KwaZulu, which ceased to exist on 27
April 1994. It seems to me that the flag is in use (perhaps unofficially)
as the KwaZulu-Natal flag.
Jarig Bakker, April 13, 2001
There is still no new provincial flag, or Arms, for KwaZulu-Natal.
All the other provinces in South Africa have adopted new provincial arms
and only one, Mpumalanga, has a provincial flag.
The old KwaZulu homeland flag is not used, even unofficially.
Bruce Berry, 18 Apr 2001
A 'local' or unofficial flag for use in the province been designed, the
details of which can be found here.
Bruce Berry, 11 July 2008
KwaZulu-Natal is the last of the nine new provinces in South Africa to formally adopt a coat of arms. The new arms were registered at the Bureau of Heraldry on 03 December 2004 with the following blazon:
ARMS: Argent, a fess dancetty Vert, in base, within a bordure dovetailed of the
last a Strelitizia flower proper; on a chief dancetty Azure, filled of the
first, a mullet Argent. The shield is ensigned of a heading Or, ther upon
a Zulu hut proper. Behind the shield a spear and knobkerrie in saltire,
proper.
SUPPORTERS: On a compartment Vert, the lower edge Or, dexter a lion and sinister
a black wildebeest proper.
MOTTO: MASISUKUME SAKHE (Let us Stand Up and Build).
The heraldic components, namely the lion and wildebeest supporters, represent
the coming together of the former KwaZulu homeland and
the Natal province to form KwaZulu-Natal. His
Majesty, the Zulu King is referred to as the ingonyama (lion).
The wildebeest has long been associated with the former Natal province and was
featured on the previous provincial and colonial Arms. The shield has a
zig-zag partition to represent the Drakensberg Mountains, the crossed assegai
and knobkerrie and a Zulu hut to represent the importance of Zulu culture.
The strelitzia flower signifies the natural beauty of the province.
Bruce Berry, 18 April 2005
Description of the flag of King Goodwill Zwelithini:
Author: Theo Stylianides and Bruce Berry
"A new flag for King Goodwill Zwelithini Kabhekuzulu, the Zulu monarch,
was unveiled on 21 December 1999 in Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal. The flag comprises
seven horizontal stripes of black, yellow, red, green, white, blue, and
maroon with the royal arms in the centre. The colour symbolize social development
factors with black representing the soil, yellow wealth, red defence, green
vegetation, white purity and peace, blue religion and maroon royalty.
The blazon of the Royal Arms is described as: Arms: Argent, in pale
the sceptre of the King between four huts, over all in base a representation of the Royal Hut, proper.
Supporters:
On
a ground sable, two lions Or, armed Argent and langued sable.
Motto: Ilembe Leqa Amanye Ngoku Khalipha (Together we shall
surmount - an allusion to the motto on the former South African arms, Unity
is Strength).
These arms were registered with the South African Bureau of Heraldry under Certificate
number 757 issued on 02 June 1975. The arrns were registered without the
Royal Crown that is now placed above the Arms on the flag.
The silver (white) shield is derived from the colour ox-hide of the
royal herd and the sceptre of "Inhlendla” is the symbol of the King's authority.
The Royal Hut never stands alone and the King is the "Lion of the Zulu”,
hence the choice of supporters.
The new royal flag will be flown at all royal households, on all official
royal vehicles and on other buildings conducting royal business.
Source: Article by Theo Stylianides and Bruce Berry in SAVA Newsletter
27/00 (pg 5).
Jens Pattke, 20 Feb 2001
The flag of King Goodwill Zwelithini is a personal royal standard and
is flown at all royal households, on official royal vehicles and on other
buildings conducting royal business.
Bruce Berry, 18 Apr 2001
Is there, or was there at a time a flag for the Zulu people?
Philippe Bondurand, 19 Feb 1998
Prior to colonialism the Zulu tribal shields were the main form of symbolic
identity. Once subjugated, the flags of Britain, the Boers and finally
those of the Union (and later Republic) of South Africa flew over Zululand.
As part of the apartheid policy of creating ethnically based Homelands,
the KwaZulu homeland was created on 11 March 1970. A KwaZulu
flag was adopted on 31 August 1977 and later changed on 14 January
1985. These flags are illustrated on Mark Sensen's Flags of the 19th and
20th Centuries homepage. The KwaZulu flag ceased to be official on the
eve of the inauguration of Nelson Mandela and the creation of a united
South Africa on 26 April 1994.
Bruce Berry, 19 Feb 1998
The following municipal local flags in the former Natal province were registered with the South African Bureau of Heraldry. These flags are no longer in use following the introduction of a new municipal dispensation in South Africa after 2000.
Kloof Borough municipal flag registered with the South African Bureau of Heraldry on 18 Apr 1975 and described as:Natal Anti-Shark Measures Board flag registered with the South
African Bureau of Heraldry on 17 Oct 1986 and described as:
A rectangular flag, proportion three by two, the hoist
third white, charged in the canton with two black wildebeest in pale in
full course, the fly blue, charged with a stylised Zambezi shark affronte
in white outline.
Colenso Borough municipal flag registered with the South
African Bureau of Heraldry on 26 Feb 1990 and described as:
A rectangular flag, proportion 3:2, consisting of a black
hoist panel 1/5 the length of the flag and a yellow charged with a blue
fess wavy, thereupon another of white.
Source: Data
of the Bureau of Heraldry on registered heraldic representations.
Mark Sensen, 19 May 2002
The above flags are illustrated in SAVA
Journal 1/91 (ed).