Last modified: 2000-01-21 by ole andersen
Keywords: south africa | homeland | kwandbele | knobkerrie | axe heads: 4 |
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![[KwaNdbele]](../images/za-kndbe.gif)
by Mark Sensen
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Within the "old" South Africa, 10 homelands were created, four of which were
granted "independence" by South Africa (not recognised by any other country
in the world). These former South African Homelands/bantustans ceased to
exist on 27 April 1994. They have all (including the former so called independent
Homelands) been reincorporated into South Africa.
The flags of the former Homelands are no longer in use (either officially
or unofficially).
Bruce Berry - 25 April 1996
Small contiguous territory in Central Transvaal
(today's northwesternmost Mpumalanga), briefly bordering
Bophutatwana.
Antonio Martins - 30 May 1999
KwaNdebele was situated north-east of Pretoria and was granted internal self-government on 1 April 1981. The name KwaNdebele means the place or home of the Ndebele, an off-shoot of the Zulu tribe.
The design of the KwaNdebele flag is set out in section 2 of the KwaNdebele Flag Act of 1982, which reads as follows:
"The KwaNdebele Flag shall be a flag consisting of three horizontal stripes
of equal width from top to bottom of blue, yellow and green on which shall
appear in the centre of the yellow stripes a short knobkerrie erect conjoining
to four battle axe heads.
The knobkerrie shall be brown, the rear battle axe heads shall be brown and
the front battle axe heads shall be grey.
The width of the flag shall be equal to two-thirds of its length.
The length and width of the central charge shall be two-thirds of the yellow
stripes".
The Act became law on 19 July 1982 and was published in the Official Gazette of KwaNdebele on 6 October 1982.
The blue in the flag was said to represent the colour of the sky and the endlessness of space, thus symbolising the room needed by the Ndebele to fulfil their ideals.
Yellow represented the light and energy of the sun, which is indispensable to life and which also ,lights the way ahead.
Green is the colour of the plants and grass which is a source of food. It also symbolises growth and advancement.
The knobkerrie is a symbol of authority vested in the government to maintain law and order, while the battle axes are symbolic of the struggle for self-determination.
KwaNdebele was a "self-governing" territory within South Africa and was moving towards full independence when internal unrest during 1986 put a stop to the process. The KwaNdebele flag was flown alongside the South African national flag until the homeland was re-incorporated into South Africa on 27 April 1994. The area is now part of the Mpumalanga Province and the KwaNdebele flag is no longer in use
Bruce Berry - 1 December 1998