Ireland–South Africa relations as premature. The Irish embassy opened in Pretoria in 1994. From the early 1960s Ireland vehemently opposed apartheid in South Africa. South African Nelson Mandela, then a dissident, later president, was awarded the Freedom of the City of Dublin in 1988 while a political prisoner; he collected the award upon his release in 1990. Diplomatic ties between the two countries were established in 1994. In November 2003, Brian Cowen, while touring Africa as Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, promised South African President Thabo Mbeki that Ireland would highlight African problems when it ascended to the Council Presidency of the European
Flag of South Africa (1928–1994) following complaints from the ANC member of parliament Nomfunelo Mabedla, all the flags were removed from the parapet apart from the current flag of South Africa and the removed flags were placed in the castle's museum. In 2008, the flag was mistakenly put on posters in Ghana advertising that year's Africa Cup of Nations, sparking outrage in South Africa. Flag of South Africa (1928–1994) The flag of South Africa from 1928 to 1994 was used by the Union of South Africa and its successor state, the Republic of South Africa until 1994. It was also used in South-West Africa (now