<P> The flag of South Africa was adopted on 27 April 1994, at the beginning of South Africa's 1994 general election, to replace the flag that had been used since 1928 . The new national flag, designed by the then State Herald of South Africa Frederick Brownell, was chosen to represent the country's new democracy after the end of apartheid . </P> <P> The flag has horizontal bands of red (on the top) and blue (on the bottom), of equal width, separated by a central green band which splits into a horizontal "Y" shape, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side (and follow the flag's diagonals). The "Y" embraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes . The stripes at the fly end are in the 5: 1: 3: 1: 5 ratio . </P> <P> At the time of its adoption, the South African flag was the only national flag in the world to comprise six colours in its primary design and without a seal and brocade . The design and colours are a synopsis of principal elements of the country's flag history . </P> <P> The central design of the flag, beginning at the flagpost in a "V" form and flowing into a single horizontal band to the outer edge of the fly . </P>

How many colours are on the south african flag