This flag was adopted on April 27, 1994. The "Y" on the flag symbolizes the union of many groups of people in South Africa. The many colors represent the rainbow of people in South Africa. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/africa/southafrica/flag/flagquizbw.shtml additionally "While the colours do not have any official symbolism, the State Herald, Mr FG Brownell said that they represent a synopsis of the country's vexillological history and current political realities. The design in turn represents a converging of paths, the merging of both past and present. Black, green and gold, which were first incorporated into South African national flags in the nineteenth century, also feature prominently in the flags of the liberation movements, particularly those of the African National Congress and the Pan-Africanist Congress. Blue, white and red reflect the British and Dutch influence, which also featured in the former South African flag. The green pall is commonly interpreted to mean the unification of the various ethnic groups. Like its predecessor, the new flag represents a compromise". http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/za-close.html This site has much more information.