The National Anthem

The current national anthem is a combination of two famous tunes Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika and The Call of South Africa (Die Stem van Suid Afrika).

The Call of South Africa, written in 1918 by the writer and poet CJ Langenhoven, with music composed by M L de Villiers in 1921, was the South African national anthem from 1957 to 1994.

Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika was written by Enoch Sontonga, a teacher in a Methodist school. The song, written in 1897 for his pupils, gradually became popular with the public. Adopted by the ANC, Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika was supplemented with seven stanzas in Xhosa in 1927 by the poet Samuel Mqhayi and became a symbol of freedom and protest during the apartheid years.

Enoch Sontonga

Enoch Sontonga, author of Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika

Nkosi Sikelel’iAfrika

This is the official version of the national anthem, combining Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika and Die Stem/The Call of South Africa, with a translation in English given in brackets: 

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)		isiXhosa and isiZulu
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)		Sesotho
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)		Afrikaans
Sounds the call to come together,
And united we shall stand,
Let us live and strive for freedom,
In South Africa our land.		English

The national Flag

The South African flag is intended to reflect the main elements of South African history and the different communities that make up the country’s population. The new flag, incorporating six colours, was part of the negotiation process with the former government that began in 1990 after Nelson Mandela’s release from prison. Designed by Fred Brownell, after many proposals, it was flown for the first time on 10 May 1994, the day Nelson Mandela was inaugurated.

The coat of arms

The Coat of Arms was launched on Freedom Day, 27 April 2000. A central image of the Coat of Arms is the well-known secretary bird with its uplifted wings.

  • Above the bird is the rising sun, a force that gives life while representing the flight of darkness and the triumph of discovery, knowledge and understanding of things that have been hidden, and illuminating the new life that is coming into being.
  • Below the bird is the protea, an indigenous flower of South Africa, which represents beauty, the aesthetic harmony of all its cultures, and South Africa flowering as a nation.
  • The ears of wheat are emblems of the fertility of the land. The elephant tusks symbolise wisdom, steadfastness and strength.
  • At the centre stands a shield, which signifies the protection of South Africans from one generation to the next.
  • Above it is a spear and a knobkierie. Together, they assert the defence of peace rather than a posture of war.
  • This shield of peace, which also brings to mind an African drum, conveys the message of a people imbued with a love of culture.
  • Contained within the shield are some of the earliest representations of humanity in the world. Those depicted were the very first inhabitants of the land, namely the Khoisan people. These figures are derived from images on the Linton Stone, a world-famous example of South African rock art.

The motto – !KE E: /XARRA //KE, written in the Khoisan language of the /Xam people, means ‘diverse people unite’.

The National Orders

South Africa’s current national orders were issued for the first time in 2002. They feature indigenous designs and reflect hanged to reflect a country that is committed to human rights, non-racism and non-sexism. National orders are the highest awards that a country, through its president, bestows on its citizens and eminent foreign nationals. The president is assisted by the director-general in the Presidency, who is the chancellor of national orders.

  • The Order of Mapungubwe is awarded to South African citizens for achievements that have impacted internationally and served the interests of the Republic of South Africa.
  • The Order of the Baobab is awarded for distinguished service in business and the economy; science, medicine, technological innovation; and community service. The service recognised goes well above and beyond the ordinary call of duty.
  • The Order of the Companions of OR Tambo is awarded in three categories to eminent foreign nationals and other foreign dignitaries for friendship shown to South Africa. It is therefore concerned primarily with matters of peace, co-operation, international solidarity and support and is integral to the execution of South Africa’s international and multilateral relations.
  • The Order of Luthuli is awarded to South Africans who have made a meaningful contribution to the struggle for democracy, human rights, nation-building, justice and peace, and conflict resolution.
  • The Order of Ikhamanga is awarded to South African citizens who have excelled in the fields of arts, culture, literature, music, journalism or sport. This award is made in three categories. For exceptional achievement the Order is awarded in gold It is awarded in sliver for excellent achievement, and in bronze for outstanding achievement.
  • The Order of the Mendi Decoration for Bravery is awarded to South African citizens who have performed an extraordinary act of bravery that placed their lives in great danger, or who lost their own lives including in trying to save the life of another person, or by saving property, in or outside the Republic of South Africa.

The other national symbols

The national animal

The country’s national animal is the Springbok, which also gives its name to the South African rugby team, known as the Boks. The Springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) gets its common name from its characteristic jumping display. The animal stands 75cm high and weigh about 40kg.

The King protea

The giant or King Protea (Protea cynaroides) is widely distributed in the south-western and southern areas of the Western Cape.

South Africa’s national flower is the largest of the proteas, which make up an important part of the unique Cape Floral Region, a major global biodiversity hotspot and a Unesco World Heritage site. The Proteas also give their name to South Africa’s national cricket team.

The national bird

The national bird of South Africa is the Blue Crane (Anthropoides paradisia), the distribution of which is almost entirely restricted to the country. Standing about a meter tall, the bird is a light blue-grey, with a long neck supporting a rather bulbous head, long legs and elegant wing plumes which sweep to the ground.

The Yellowwood Tree

The Yellowwood family of trees is ancient, having grown in this part of Africa for thousands of years. The real Yellowwood (Podocarpus latifolius), South Africa’s national tree, is found from Table Mountain, along the southern and eastern Cape coast, in the ravines of the Drakensberg up to the Soutpansberg and the Blouberg in Limpopo. In the forest, it can grow up to 40 metres high, but is much more modest in height when growing in other, more arid regions.

The national fish

South Africa’s national fish is the Galjoen (Coracinus capensis), which is only found along the South African coast. It keeps to mostly shallow water, often found in rough surf and sometimes right next to the shore, and is known to every angler as a game fighter. Near rocks, the colour of the galjoen is almost completely black, while in sandy areas the colour is silver-bronze. It can reach 80 cm in length and weigh up to 6 kg.

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