Free State Province, South Africa

Last modified: 2006-01-28 by bruce berry
Keywords: free state | orange |
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• Free state - introduction
• Coat of Arms of the Free State
• Municipal Flag descriptions

• South Africa
• Provinces of South Africa
• Orange Free State (old province)
• Former Homelands :
• Bophuthatswana
• Qwaqwa

Free State introduction

The province has (following the re-absorption of Qwaqwa and Thaba 'Nchu) the same area that its predecessors had in 1910 and in 1890. Incidentally, Thaba 'Nchu is now part of the Mangaung Municipality which includes Bloemfontein.
Mike Oettle, 19 Dec 2001

In addition to Qwaqwa, there was a portion of Bophuthatswana at Thaba 'Nchu - about 50km east of Bloemfontein.
Bruce Berry, 31 May 1999

Up to September 1995 none of the 9 new South African provinces have adopted their own flags although one or two have proposals in this regard. There is currently a debate in this country as to whether the provinces should have their own flags or not with the ruling ANC holding the view that the provinces should not have individual flags.  The Orange Free State is now simply called the Free State.
Bruce Berry, September 1995
 

Coat of Arms of the Free State

ARMS: Per chevron inverted, Or and Vert, the head of an Orange River Lily (Crinum bulbispermum) with three blossoms and four buds slipped proper and a chief dancetty, the peaks terminating in merlons, Azure; the shield ensigned of a circlet Or, embellished with representations of cut diamonds Argent, enamelled Azure against the upper and Vert against the lower facets, heightened of four heads of maize Argent, leaved Or, alternating with as many ears of wheat of the last.
SUPPORTERS: Two cheetahs proper.
SPECIAL COMPARTMENT: A representation of the Free State plains proper.
MOTTO: KATLEHO KA KOPANO.
Registered with the South African Bureau of Heraldry on 7 May 1999.
JJ Andersson, 05 May 2002
 

Municipal Flag descriptions

Bethlehem municipality: flag registered with the South African Bureau of Heraldry on 11 Oct 1974 with the following description:
Three horizontal stripes, blue, yellow, red, in the centre the shield of the arms of Bethlehem (to wit: "Party per chevron Azure and Gules, a chevron Or, in chief between two Springboks couped at the neck respecting each other, proper, a mullet of the third, and in base three maize cobs, the outer ones pilewise, all proper", as  published on p. 1124: OFSOG  41, 1958-10-10).

Vrede municipality: flag registered with the South African Bureau of Heraldry on 21 Oct 1988 and described as:
A rectangular yellow flag, proportion 3:2, charged in the middle with four horizontal green bars each 1/10 the width of the flag, placed the same distance from each other; a blue equilateral triangle charged with a dove volant holding in its beak a sprig of olive, both white.
(Vrede = Peace)

Bothaville Town Council: flag registered with the South African Bureau of Heraldry on 19 Oct 1990 and described as:
A rectangular flag, proportion 3:2, consisting of two horizontal bands, top to bottom green and blue, and a yellow equilateral hoist triangle charged with a black phoenix langued and rising from flames, all red.
Source: Data of the Bureau of Heraldry on registered heraldic representations.
Mark Sensen, 19 May 2002

These flags are illustrated in SAVA Journal 1/92 (April 1992) [brl92] (ed).