Madagascar–South Africa relations fight against apartheid. Radio Freedom was operated by South African freedom fighters in Madagascar between 1979 and 1993. In June 1991, apartheid legislation was repealed in South Africa and Nelson Mandela was elected President in May 1994. That same year, Madagascar and South Africa officially established diplomatic relations. During the 2009 Malagasy political crisis, Malagasy President Marc Ravalomanana fled to South Africa where he remained in exile for the next 5 years. In August 2012, South African President Jacob Zuma traveled to the Seychelles to assist in brokering a deal between Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina and Marc Ravalomanana. In January
Flag of South Africa (1928–1994) was featured on the cantons of the flags of government agencies such the military, prisons service, and police. After the flag was retired in 1994, the new South African flag replaced it on those flags' cantons. Despite the flag's origins and adoption pre-dating the National Party's ascension to power by twenty years, the flag gradually became associated with the apartheid regime. Movements like the Black Sash and Umkhonto we Sizwe started protesting against it with their own symbols. Often the flag of South Africa would be removed from public display and replaced with the banned ANC flag. The flag would