The National Anthem of South Africa was adopted in 1997 and is a hybrid song combining new English lyrics with extracts of the 19th-century hymn “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika” (English: “God Bless Africa”, lit. '” Lord Bless Africa”‘) and the Afrikaans song “Die Stem van Suid-Afrika” (English: “The Voice of South Africa”), which was used as the South African national anthem during the apartheid era. The committee responsible for this new composition included Anna Bender, Elize Botha, Richard Cock, Dolf Havemann (Secretary), Mzilikazi Khumalo (Chairman), Masizi Kunene, John Lenake, Fatima Meer, Khabi Mngoma, Wally Serote, Johan de Villiers, and Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph.[2]
The anthem is often referred to by its incipit of “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika“, but this has never been its official title, which is simply “National Anthem of South Africa”.
| National anthems of South Africa |
|---|
| “God Save the King”1901–1952 “Die Stem van Suid-Afrika“1938–1952 “God Save the Queen”1952–1957 “Die Stem van Suid-Afrika“1952–1994 “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika”1994–1997 “Die Stem van Suid-Afrika“1994–1997 “National anthem of South Africa”1997–present |
What are the lyrics to South Africa’s national anthem?
South Africa’s national anthem features five of the most widely spoken of the country’s eleven official languages – Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans and English.
You can find all the lyrics below, along with an English translation beside each line.
Language: isiXhosa and isiZulu
Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika (God Bless Africa)
Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo, (Raise high Her glory)
Yizwa imithandazo yethu, (Hear our Prayers)
Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo
(God bless us, we her children)Language: Sesotho
Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso, (God protect our nation)
O fedise dintwa le matshwenyeho, (End all wars and tribulations)
O se boloke, O se boloke setjhaba sa heso, (Protect us, protect our nation)
Setjhaba sa South Afrika - South Afrika. (Our nation South Africa - South Africa)Language: Afrikaans
Uit die blou van onse hemel, (Ringing out from our blue heavens)
Uit die diepte van ons see, (From the depth of our seas)
Oor ons ewige gebergtes, (Over our everlasting mountains)
Waar die kranse antwoord gee, (Where the echoing crags resound)Language: English
Sounds the call to come together,
And united we shall stand,
Let us live and strive for freedom,
In South Africa our land.Comment(s):
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