South Africa’s national flag is probably one of the most recognisable flags in the world with its unique Y-shaped design. It is also the only flag in the world with six colours in its primary design.

Designed by the State Herald, Fred Brownell, there was some scepticism about the flag when it was adopted in March 1994 (only a month before the first election held under universal suffrage) to replace the old Oranje-Blanje-Blou, with the new flag being derided as a pair of Y-fronts.

Brownell’s flag had been one of five designs shortlisted by the Transitional Executive Council (a body made up of several political parties to manage South Africa’s transition to democracy) in February 1994.

However, despite reservations from some quarters, the flag soon turned out to be popular and was embraced by South Africans, with it now being ubiquitous at sporting events and national celebrations.

But it was not inevitable that that design would end up as the official South African flag.

When the country was transitioning to democracy in the early 1990s, a number of proposals for a new flag were made.

Of the five designs shortlisted by the Transitional Executive Council, these were the others:

In 1993 this flag had been proposed by the African National Congress:

In that same year the Commission on National Symbols proposed these designs for a new national flag:

So next time you look at the national flag, remember that it could easily have been something else rather than the design South Africans have come to love.