<P> The choice of the Prinsenvlag (which was believed to be the first flag hoisted on South African soil by Jan van Riebeeck of the VOC) as the basis upon which to design the South African flag had more to do with compromise than Afrikaner political desires, since the Prinsenvlag was politically neutral, as it was no longer the national flag of any nation . A further element of this compromise was that the British Union Flag would continue to fly alongside the new South African national flag over official buildings . This dual flag arrangement continued until 1957 when the British Union Flag lost its official status per an Act of Parliament . </P> <P> Following a referendum the country became a republic on 31 May 1961, but the design of the flag remained unchanged . However, there was intense pressure to change the flag, particularly from Afrikaners who still resented the fact that the British Union Flag was a part of the flag . In 1968, the then Prime Minister, John Vorster, proposed the adoption of a new flag from 1971, to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the declaration of a republic but this never materialised . </P> <P> The present South African national flag was first flown on 27 April 1994, the day of the 1994 election . However, the flag was first intended to be an interim flag only, and its design was decided upon only a week beforehand . </P> <P> The choice of a new flag was part of the negotiation process set in motion when Nelson Mandela was released from prison in 1990 . When a nationwide public competition was held in 1993, the National Symbols Commission received more than 7,000 designs . Six designs were shortlisted and presented to the public and the Negotiating Council, but none elicited enthusiastic support . A number of design studios were then contacted to submit further proposals, but these also did not find favour . Parliament went into recess at the end of 1993 without a suitable candidate for the new national flag . </P>

When was the new national flag of the republic of south africa hoisted for the first time