  A generalisation of existing SU(2) results is obtained. In particular, the
source-free Gauss law for SU(3)-valued gauge fields is solved using a
non-Abelian analogue of the Poincare lemma. When sources are present, the
colour-electric field is divided into two parts in a way similar to the Hodge
decomposition. Singularities due to coinciding eigenvalues of the
colour-magnetic field are also analysed.
