THE HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

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THE HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

The national anthem of South Africa is a shortened, combined version of “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika” and “The Call of South Africa” (known in Afrikaans as “Die Stem van Suid Afrika”).  A proclamation issued by the State President on 20 April, 1994 stipulated that both Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika and Die Stem would be the national anthems of South Africa. The combined anthem came into effect on October, 1997, after the English words were added and the musical  re-arrangement done by Jeanne Rudolph.

Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika

Enoch Sontonga, a Methodist school teacher, wrote the first verse and chorus and also composed the music in “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika” (which means “God Bless Africa”) as a hymn in 1897. ‘Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika’ was publicly performed in 1899 for the first time. Sontonga wrote the first verse in Xhosa. Samuel Mqhayi, a poet, contributed seven additional verses, also in Xhosa. In 1927 the Lovedale Press, in the Eastern Cape, published all the verses in a pamphlet form.

In 1942, Moses Mphahlele published a Sesotho version of the hymn. Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika was further popularised by Reverend JL Dube’s Ohlange Zulu Choir and the hymn proved to be a hit in church services across South Africa.