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Boer Republics in South Africa

Voortrekkers
Natalia
Trans-Orange and Trans-Vaal
Potchefstroom
Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek
Nieuwe Republiek (Vrijheid)
Goshen
Stellaland
Zululand
Klein Vrystaat
Diggers' Republic

Voortrekkers

by António Martins

Afrikaans name (Pioneers) for the group of Afrikaners who left the Cape Colony to make the great trek into the interior (1835-54).

The Voortrekker vlag (also known as the Kruisvlag or the Potgieter Vlag after Voortrekker General AH Potgieter) was used between 1836 and 1840 and was a red saltire on a blue background.
bruce berry - 1995-10-05

Their flag was Blue with a red saltire (no fimbriation). [car61, p.82]
Roy Stilling - 1996-10-08

Natalia

by António Martins

Voortrekker state in Natal, arriving there in 1838 and deposing the Zulu king Dingane in 1840. The state was occupied by the British and annexed in 1843.

Their flag was Horizontally red over blue, divided by a white triangle from hoist (base) to fly (apex). 1839-1843 [car61, p.82]
Roy Stilling - 1996-10-08

Trans-Orange and Trans-Vaal

In 1848 the governor of the Cape Colony annexed the territory accross the Orange river in an attempt to control the colony's frontiers, but Britain had little real desire to follow the Voortrekkers into the interior. In 1852 and 1854 independence was granted to the trekkers accross the Vaal and Orange rivers, respectively.

In the Trans-Vaal, four main centers each became the headquarters of an independent Republic :

Potchefstroom

These republics merged between 1857 and 1864 to form the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek

Potchefstroom

Flag : Pass
Roy Stilling - 1996-10-08

Like ZAR's flag of 1874/75?
Carsten Linke - 1996-10-11

Nieuwe Republiek (Vrijheid)

by António Martins

Zulu territory appropriated by Transvaal Boers in 1884.
Annexed by Transvaal in 1887.
Taken over by Natal in 1903.

Flag : A blue vertical stripe and red, white and green horizontal stripes
Bruce Berry - 1996-06-14

Like the Vierkleur, but blue and green interchanged. Don't know why.
Carsten Linke - 1996-10-11

Goshen

by António Martins

Freebooting republic established by Transvaal Boers in 1884.

Flag : Horizontally black-white-red with a green vertical stripe at the hoist (1881-85) [car61, p.83] - hmm, the colours of Imperial Germany - I bet that worried the Colonial Office...
Roy Stilling - 1996-10-08

Which is exactly why in 1885, 5000 British troops were sent in, who declared it (and Stellaland) the Crown Colony of British Bechuanaland, which was incorporated into the Cape Colony in 1895.

Stellaland

Freebooting republic established by Transvaal Boers in 1884.

Flag : I think I'd better quote Carr [car61] - he doesn't reference his source alas:
The Stellaland flag has been described thus: "Of green bunting with shield in four compartments, with gold-coloured border. Top left compartment, white ground with hand holding bird by leg; top-right, green with five-pointed star in white; bottom left, blue ground with scales; and bottom right, red ground with two fishes pierced by a sword." The shield was surmounted by a five-pointed star with rays, and the scroll beneath was inscribed with the words "Gewapend en Regtvaarig."
1882-85 - apparently the republic was named because of a comet that appeared on the night it was declared - the bird and the fish were emblems of local Bechuana chiefs. [pp83-4] Carr doesn't translate the motto but my Dutch dictionary renders it as "Armed and Just".
Roy Stilling - 1996-10-08

Somebody should draw the shield :-). I thought the flag was green-red vertically divided with an eight-pointed white star referring to a comet indeed.
Carsten Linke - 1996-10-11

Sounds rather more practical. Maybe Carr got his wires crossed and was describing the President's flag or something?
Roy Stilling - 1996-10-11

In 1885, 5000 British troops were sent in, who declared it (and Goshen) the Crown Colony of British Bechuanaland, which was incorporated into the Cape Colony in 1895.

Zululand

I asked some time ago for a Republic proclaimed by the Boers in a part of the Kingdom of Zululand (under boer protection). I found now a information of A. Usachev that say that in this region was used a three band flag between 1884 and 1897. This flag is Yellow-Green-Red horizontal.
Jaume Ollé - 20 February 1997

Klein Vrystaat

by Ivan Sache

From 1876, a number of Boers bought land from the Swazi king Umbandino (...) A formal government was formed in 1886 when a Constitution was adopted (...) Klein Vrystaat ('Little Free State') was incorporated in the ZAR (South-African Republic) on 2/8/1890.

The flag of the KV was the same as the Transvaal Vierkleur ('Four-colours') - horizontal red-white-blue with a vertical green stripe near the hoist. The width of the green stripe was equal to the height of the horizontal stripes in the KV flag and 1.25 times this height in the Vierkleur.

Country: Klein Vrystaat.
Status: Boer Republic.
Use: 'National' flag, 1886-1890.
Proportions: 3:2.
Source: 'Sovereign flags of Southern Africa' by A.P. Burgers (SAVA).
Accuracy: High

Ivan Sache, 17 November 1997