AfriForum’s Bela march sparks controversy over apartheid flag colours

Civil rights organisation AfriForum has been criticised for displaying colours that resemble the apartheid flag at their march against the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act 32 of 2024 (Bela Act) in Pretoria on Tuesday.

During the protest at the Voortrekker Monument, participants were wearing orange, blue and white. The same colours can be found on the apartheid flag.

Cosatu’s national spokesperson Zanele Sabela said the federation is calling on the Human Rights Commission to launch an investigation and hold the responsible individuals accountable, particularly because the DA, AfriForum and Solidariteit have been adamant that their protest against the Bela Act was not about race.

However, AfriForum CEO Kalie Kriel told The Citizen on Wednesday that the colour coordination was simply a coincidence.

“The DA’s colour is blue and they came in their colour. People are stretching it with these conspiracy theories. This was a coincidence with the DA being there. If someone had come there with the apartheid flag, we would have asked them to leave.”

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Vierkleur display

During the march one of the participants was removed from the premises for displaying the Vierkleur.

In 1856, the Voortrekker territories north of the Vaal River agreed to unite as the South African Republic. A constitution was drawn up and a flag was designed. The flag is known as the “Vierkleur” because of its four colours – green, blue, white, and orange.

Former Nelson Mandela Foundation CEO weighs in

The former CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, Verne Harris, told Newsroom Afrika on Wednesday that he was shocked by the display of colours at the march.

“For me, looking at the wide-angle shots of the crowd and this sea of orange, white and blue, it resonated as the apartheid oranje, blanje, blou.

“One does not know to what extent this was deliberately choreographed by the organisers, but the messaging for me was clear and very disturbing,” he said.

Harris said the Vierkleur is a symbol of white supremacy and Afrikaans nationalism, exactly like the apartheid flag.

“The Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB) used to display the Vierkleur, so it is associated with white far-right supremacism.”

‘Apartheid flag shouldn’t be completely banned’

Kriel though said he believes that the apartheid flag should not be completely banned. He also said the flag should not be displayed in public.

“We do not think it’s appropriate to wave the flag, but we do not believe in banning it. There should be no public display of the flag, but what people do in their bedrooms is none of my business.”

Kriel said there could have been more colours displayed if other political parties — like the ANC — had honoured their invitation to come to the march.

However, the ANC denied receiving an invitation to attend.

AfriForum and its partners claim that the Bela Act is a direct threat to the existence of the Afrikaans culture and language.

They handed over a memorandum to the presidency and the Department of Basic Education with their concerns.

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