The lyrics of the Red Flag anthem show a strong devotion to the national flag.
The anthem states: “Then raise the scarlet standard high. Within its shade, we’ll live and die. Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer, we’ll keep the red flag flying here.”
The South African flag, adopted after 1994, has historical and symbolic importance, as it signifies the beginning of a new era of democracy in the country. No immature political opportunism that seeks to exploit divisions should justify nonsensical political gimmicks such as burning our flag.
The DA desperately wants a divided South Africa and aims to reverse the progress made since 1994.
Those who make jokes about our flag are implicitly supporting the previous racist regime, responsible for countless deaths and unimaginable human suffering, and characterised by its insatiable thirst for power.
No political message or racial propaganda can justify burning the national flag.
The decision by the DA to burn our national flag is a direct consequence of the democratic progress made in our country, in the sense that certain rights can now be exploited to an extreme degree. In other parts of the world today, and during their cherished apartheid system, burning a national flag has severe or treasonous ramifications.
The DA’s actions are a conclusive blow to any progressive initiatives implemented since 1994. As such, they present a formidable test for our nation and impel us to thoroughly delineate what binds us together.
Moreover, the actions of the official opposition clearly indicate that it vehemently opposes the new South Africa.
The attack on our national flag follows a series of assaults by the DA on policies such as 50/50 women’s empowerment, affirmative action and employment equity. Furthermore, the official opposition has refused to build houses in impoverished areas in Cape Town, as it does not prioritise providing free housing.
Perhaps it was when the DA rejected the aforementioned policies that the nation failed to unite. Given all the political fervour in the lead-up to the upcoming elections, burning the flag may be seen as an attack on the ANC.
However, South Africa does not belong to the ANC, and nor does the national flag belong to any political party in government. Our country cannot be divided, and our national symbol, as well as any policy that seeks to rectify the legacy of the apartheid system, transcends narrow political aspirations.
I have lived overseas for quite some time, but one thing remains certain: I cannot exchange my citizenship for that of any other country in the world. Essentially, my country is the geographic space I will always yearn to be in. While I am thousands of miles away from South Africa, the South African national flag adorns my room. Daily, it serves as a reminder, even in my distance from home, of where I truly belong.
Therefore, burning the national flag is equivalent to engulfing all of South Africa in flames. Upon my return to South Africa , I hope to find everyone and all the country’s people in a state of peace and unity.
Our national flag is more than a mere textile, and is rather a profound emblem that surpasses individual boundaries.
Burning a national flag is an act of treason. However, in free South Africa some choose to exploit the rights granted them by the Bill of Rights in their own interests.
In fact, actions such as those of the DA should be considered one of the most serious offences in the electoral code of conduct. On the day of the announcement of the election results, all political party emblems will fade, but what can never fade, even in our darkest hour, is our national flag.
Our national flag is more than a mere textile, and is rather a profound emblem that surpasses individual boundaries. The splendour of our nation, even to those who have not personally experienced it, is graphically depicted through our esteemed national flag. It symbolises the remarkable diversity and breathtaking landscapes our country possesses.
Moreover, our flag embodies our unwavering commitment to peace and encapsulates the abundant richness that defines our nation. Consequently, our flag epitomises the aspirations and essence of our country, inclusively representing its people and acknowledging the diverse range of skin colours, with particular recognition of black people as dominant-prominent and crucial inhabitants of this land.
— Sokoyi is a member of the SACP and the ANC, and a PhD candidate at Peking University in Beijing, China
