Last modified: 2022-10-22 by bruce berry
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image by Olivier Touzeau, 01 Jan 2022
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
Up to September 1995 none of the nine 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
There is no official provincial flag for the Free State. However, a flag
with a white field containing the provincial arms in the centre can be seen
flying at the provincial legislature and at various public events where the
province is represented.
Bruce Berry, 02 Jan 2022
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
The following municipal flags in the former Orange Free State 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.
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).
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.
Parys municipality flag registered with the
South African Bureau of Heraldry on 18 Apr 1975 and described as:
A rectangular flag per pale red, white and blue, the middle
stripe charged with the shield of the Municipal arms.
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 is Afrikaans for Peace)
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).