Composed in 1897 by Enoch Sontonga , a Methodist school teacher, it was originally a church hymn. It later became a defiant liberation song for those resisting the apartheid regime.
In 1994, under President Nelson Mandela , both songs were adopted as dual national anthems. They were eventually merged into a single, shortened version in 1997. 2. Structure and Languages
The current anthem brings together two songs that previously represented opposing sides of a divided country.
The anthem is famous for incorporating five of South Africa's official languages in a specific sequence:
Written as a poem in 1918 by C.J. Langenhoven and set to music in 1921 by M.L. de Villiers , it served as South Africa's sole national anthem from 1957 until 1994.
The South African National Anthem is a unique, multilingual song that serves as a powerful symbol of reconciliation and unity for the "Rainbow Nation". Proclaimed in 1997, it is a hybrid composition that merges two formerly disparate songs: the liberation hymn and the apartheid-era anthem "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" . 1. Historical Background