Page:Republic of South Africa Constitution Act 1983 from Government Gazette.djvu/3



REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA CONSTITUTION ACT, 1983 2. The people of the Republic of South Africa acknowledge the sovereignty and guidance of Almighty God.

PART II

3. There shall be a National Flag of the Republic of which the design shall be as set out in section 4.

4. (1) The National Flag of the Republic shall be a flag consisting of three horizontal stripes of equal width from top to bottom orange, white and blue on which there shall appear―

in the centre of the white stripe, the flag of the republic of “De Oranjevrijstaat” hanging vertically and spread in full; and on opposite sides and adjoining the flag referred to in paragraph (a)―

the Union Jack, as it existed in 1927, horizontally spread in full towards the pole; and the Vierkleur of “De Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek” horizontally spread in full away from the pole.

(2) The flags referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1) shall all be of the same size and of a shape proportionally the same as that of the National Flag, the width of each of such flags shall be equal to one-third of the width of the white stripe on the National Flag, and the flags referred to in paragraph (b) of subsection (1) shall be equidistant from the margins of the said white stripe.

5. The National Anthem of the Republic shall be “The Call of South Africa/Die Stem van Suid-Afrika”.

PART III

6. (1) The head of the Republic shall be the State President.

(2) The command-in-chief of the South African Defence Force is vested in the State President.

(3) The State President shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, have power―

to address any House, or the Houses at a joint sitting; to confer honours; to appoint and to accredit, to receive and to recognize ambassadors, plenipotentiaries, diplomatic representatives and other diplomatic officers, consuls and consular officers; to pardon or reprieve offenders, either unconditionally or subject to such conditions as he may deem fit, and to remit any fines, penalties or forfeitures; to enter into and ratify international conventions, treaties and agreements; to proclaim or terminate martial law; to declare war and make peace; to make such appointments as he may deem fit under powers conferred upon him by any law, and to exercise such powers and perform such functions as may be conferred upon or assigned to him in terms of this Act or any other law.

(4) The State President shall in addition as head of the State have such powers and functions as were immediately before the commencement of this Act possessed by the State President by way of prerogative.