Flags of the World - South Africa Blog Post

Howzit! I am StJohn Wright from Notarial Services (Yorkshire & Derbyshire) Limited, practicing as StJohn Wright Notary Public. Welcome to the fourteenth blog post about ‘Flags of the World’: this week the blog post is about South Africa.

The South African flag consists of the four colours of the Vierkleur, expanded by the addition of black and gold signifying South Africa’s mineral wealth (the three colours are black, green and gold).

In 1795, British forces seize the Cape Colony from the Netherlands, however, the territory is returned to the Dutch in 1803 and back to the British in 1806. Between 1816 and 1826 Shaka Zulu founded and expanded the Zulu empire, creating a formidable fighting force. In the 1880s, gold is discovered in the Transvaal, triggering the gold rush. In 1914, the National Party of South Africa was founded. In 1934, the Union of South Africa parliament enacts the Status of the Union Act, which declares the country to be “a sovereign independent state”. The move followed on from Britian’s passing of the Statute of Westminster in 1931, which removed the last vestiges of British legal authority over South Africa. The policy of apartheid was adopted in 1948 when the National Party took power. This led the Communist Party to be banned, and the African National Congress (ANC) responded with a campaign of civil disobedience, led by Nelson Mandela. In 1961, South Africa was declared a republic, and the country left the Commonwealth. The ANC leader Nelson Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964, and freed in 1990 after 27 years in prison. As late in history as 1989, public facilities in South Africa were desegregated and many ANC activists were freed. In 1994, the ANC won the first non-racial elections. Mandela became president, the Government of National Unity formed and the Commonwealth membership was restored. Many other political tensions and conflicts have been seen in South Africa since that time and have impacted on the country’s development.

In South Africa, there are 11 official languages: Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Swazi, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa, and Zulu. In 2010, South Africa became the first country in Africa to host the Football World Cup. South Africa is home to one of the highest bungee jumps in the world, at an extreme height of 710 feet. What if your dream wedding ceremony involves getting married in South Africa at 710 feet above the ground and then going on a bungee jump? If you want to get married abroad you will require a Notary like me in your process to do that, please do get in touch so that we can discuss your options.

The national animal of South Africa is the Springbok. It is native to open, treeless plains of southern Africa, and it is characterised by a white face, a dark stripe running from the eyes to the mouth and a light brown coat marked by a reddish-brown stripe.

The national dish of South Africa is Bobotie: it was brought by Asian settlers. It is by simmering minced meat with spices (usually curry powder, herbs and dried fruit), then topped with a mixture of egg and milk, and baked until it is set.

Finally, the national drink of South Africa is Umqombothi, which is a traditional Nguni sorghum beer that is a popular drink to celebrate special ceremonies, and more recently, rooibos or “bush” tea is referred to as the unofficial national drink.

To conclude, I am a Notary, who has been practicing for 16 years, and I would urge you to get into contact with me if you require any of the services that I have mentioned in this blog post. Please see my website (Notary in Sheffield | England | StJohn Wright Notary Public) to find out more about me and what I can do to help you. Also, do not hesitate to call me on 07863252272.

Thank you for reading this fourteenth blog post on the ‘Flags of the World’. Look out for the next one about the United Arab Emirates! Totsiens!

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