SV - ZW - 01.6 - 1 SOUTHERN AFRICAN VEXILLOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION F L A G S P E C I F I C A T I O N S H E E T - 1979 120 30 3 87 8 14 8 5 0 2 0 2 0 0 2 6 0 2

COLOUR RECOMMENDATIONS DATA Colour Pantone C M Y K Usage: National flag 185c 0 0 0 0 Ratio: 1 : 2 361c 0 0 0 0 Adopted: 02 Sep 1979 Process 0 0 0 0 yellow c Abolished: 12 Dec 1979 Designer: Cedric Herbert

HISTORY AND SYMBOLISM African opposition to the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) and the white-led regime in Rhodesia manifested itself through an increasing guerrilla struggle waged from initially Zambia and then also from . In 1978 the Rhodesian Government reached a compromise with "internal" African leaders resulting in the first universal suffrage elections in the country in February 1979. This led to the establishment of African-led government under Bishop Abel Muzorewa and the formation of Zimbabwe-Rhodesia on 01 June 1979. As the external guerrilla leaders were not accommodated the new state was not recognised (although Margaret Thatcher did attempt to secure recognition at the Commonwealth Heads of Govt. meeting in Lusaka in August 1979, UN sanctions were maintained and the guerrilla struggle continued. A new flag to reflect the changing political dispensation was hoisted on 02 September 1979. This flag has a vertical black stripe, with white fimbriation, at the hoist, with three horizontal stripes of red, white and green in the fly. A yellow is placed in the black stripe in the canton.

The flag of was designed by Flight Lieutenant Cedric Herbert of the and a member of the Rhodesian Heraldry and Genealogy Society. The design incorporates the pan-African colours of yellow, black, green and red with the following explanation: Black symbolises the achievement of majority rule in the country, red is for the struggle for independence, yellow represents the mineral wealth and green the agricultural and natural resources of the country. The vertical white stripe represents the white community while the central horizontal white stripe represents peace.

Officially this flag was short-lived as it was replaced in December 1979 by the when Zimbabwe Rhodesia once again came a British colony and reverted to its formal colonial name of with direct-rule under a British Governor following the signing of the Lancaster House agreement. While de jure the Union Jack was the flag of the "colony", de facto the Zimbabwe-Rhodesian flag continued to fly until the new flag of Zimbabwe was adopted at independence on 18 April 1980. Source: FOTW (www.flagspot.net); Bruce Berry www.savaflags.org.za