Venda Police Rank Badges. South Africa Homeland.

Prior to 1995, South Africa was divided into four provinces: Cape Province (Kaap Provinsie), Natal, Transvaal and Orange Free State (Oranje Vrystaat) and the so-called TBVC States, Self-Governing Territories and Development Regions (old South Africa).
The TBVC States had independent status but were not widely recognized by the international community. The TBVC States and Self-Governing Territories were also referred to as Homelands or Bantustans.
These so-called Homelands were the following:
1. TBVC States: Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei. (TBVC = Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda & Ciskei).
2. Self-Governing Territories: Gazankulu, Kangwane, Kwandebele, Kwazulu, Lebowa and Qwaqwa.
Every Homeland had its own policing agency, bringing the total number of policing agencies in South Africa to eleven (ten homelands and the old South African Police).
All eleven policing agencies had different uniforms, rank structures and conditions of service and were established under different legislation.
With the adoption of the interim Constitution in 1994, the Homelands and old development regions were abolished and integrated into a united South Africa with nine provinces. All eleven police agencies were amalgamated to form the new South African Police Services.

Venda received ‘self-government’ in 1973 and ‘constitutional independence' in 1979.
Venda was founded by the South African government as a homeland for the Venda people, speakers of the Venda language.
The Venda National Force was established with Venda's independence in 1979 and included defense and other services such as police and prisons.
In 1981 police and prisons were separated from the Venda National Force and transferred to the Department of Justice.
The badge of the Venda Police Department was a facetted six-pointed white star charged in the centre with a gold roundel bearing the Venda Arms in colour, within a black annulet bearing the words MAPHOLISA A VENDA above, and VENDA POLICE below.