Words & History Of South African National Anthem
This is the official version of the national anthem, combining Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika and Die Stem / The Call of South Africa
Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika
Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo,
Yizwa imithandazo yethu,
Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo.
Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso,
O fedise dintwa le matshwenyeho,
O se boloke, O se boloke setjhaba sa heso,
Setjhaba sa South Afrika - South Afrika.
Uit die blou van onse hemel,
Uit die diepte van ons see,
Oor ons ewige gebergtes,
Waar die kranse antwoord gee,
Sounds the call to come together,
And united we shall stand,
Let us live and strive for freedom,
In South Africa our land.
Sheet Music South African National Anthem
Please note that the sheet music is in .pdf format (245 KB).
History of South African National Anthem
A proclamation issued by the (then) State President on 20 April 1994
in terms of the provisions of Section 248 (1) together with Section 2 of
the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, No 200 of 1993, stated
that the Republic of South Africa would have two National Anthems.
They were "Nkosi Sikelel iAfrika" and "The Call of South Africa" ("Die
Stem van Suid-Afrika). In terms of Section 4 of the Constitution of
South Africa, 1996 (Act 108 of 1996) and following a proclamation in the
Government Gazette No. 18341 (dated 10 October 1997), a shortened,
combined version of "Nkosi Sikelel iAfrika" and "The Call of South
Africa" is now the National Anthem of South Africa.
The Call of South Africa ("Die Stem van Suid-Afrika")
Die "Stem van Suid-Afrika" is a poem written by CJ Langenhoven in May
1918. The music was composed by the Reverend ML de Villiers in 1921.
The South African Broadcasting Corporation played both God save the King
and Die Stem to close their daily broadcasts and the public became
familiar with it. It was first sung publicly at the official hoisting of
the national flag in Cape Town on 31 May 1928, but it was not until 2
May 1957 that Government made the announcement that Die Stem had been
accepted as the official national anthem of South Africa. In the same
year Government also acquired the copyright and this was confirmed by
Act of Parliament in 1959. In 1952 the official English version of the
national anthem, the Call of South Africa was accepted for official use.
"Nkosi Sikelel iAfrika"
Nkosi Sikelel iAfrika was composed in 1897 by Enoch Sontonga, a
Methodist mission school teacher. The words of the first stanza were
originally written in Xhosa as a hymn. Seven additional stanzas in Xhoza
were later added by the poet, Samuel Mqhayi. A Sesotho version was
published by Moses Mphahlele in 1942. Nkosi Sikelel iAfrika was
popularised at concerts held in Johannesburg by Reverend JL Dube's
Ohlange Zulu Choir. It became a popular church hymn that was later
adopted as an anthem at political meetings. It was sung as an act of
defiance during the apartheid years. The first stanza is generally sung
in Xhosa or Zulu followed by the Sesotho version. Apparently there is no
standard version or translations of Nkosi and the words vary from place
to place and from occasion to occasion.
Sources:
BROWNELL, F.G., National Symbols of the Republic of South Africa. 1995.
Johannesburg: Chris van Rensburg Publications.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Information. 1983. South Africa 1983:
Official Yearbook of the Republic of South Africa. 9th ed. Johannesburg:
Chris van Rensburg Publications.
Republic of South Africa.1994. Government Gazette, no 15694 of 1994.
Pretoria: Government Printer.
Republic of South Africa.1995. Government Gazette, no 1658 of 1995.
Pretoria: Government Printer
Republic of South Africa.1997. Government Gazette, no 18341 of 1997.
Pretoria: Government Printer.
South African Communication Service. 1993. South Africa 1993: Official
Yearbook of the Republic of South Africa. 19th ed. Pretoria: South
African Communication Service.
supplied with permission from South African History Online: www.sahistory.org.za
