Stop meddling with the National Anthem – The Call of South Africa is part of our history.

18 July 2024

Mr Gayton McKenzie, Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, is to be congratulated for having the courage of his convictions in taking a strong stand on the Afrikaans part of the South African National Anthem in the National Assembly earlier this week. It remains important to also protect our culture and heritage when focusing on nation building.   

Time and again, The Call of South Africa is shrouded in controversy and dragged into the political arena. Invariably, it is not because of the patriotic singing of the full National Anthem – it is because the EFF uses it as part of political rhetoric in their agenda to keep making all things white and Afrikaans suspect to serve their own ideological racism. 

CJ Langenhoven wrote the words of The Call of South Africa in 1918, and from 2 May 1957 to 1994 it was the country's National Anthem. It then shared that status with Nkosi Sikelel 'iAfrika until 1997, after which a new combined anthem was adopted as part of the national compromise and consensus.

In the foreword to the publication National Symbols of South Africa, Mr Nelson Mandela wrote, "The National Anthems, 'Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika' and 'The Call of South Africa', the National Coat of Arms and the National Flag are a manifestation of the desire to achieve national consensus."  

Repeating the hackneyed statement in 2024 that the Afrikaans part of the National Anthem should be sacrificed for the sake of reconciliation and nation building is politically short-sighted. Such a course of action would certainly not contribute to either nation building or reconciliation.

As a cultural treasure, The Call of South Africa has no inciting context. Rather, it is a song that affirms a deep commitment, loyalty and patriotism to South Africa, concluding in humility and dependence on God with the call for Him to be with South Africa and its people.

The EFF and others are forever looking to lay a political egg about the 21 words in Afrikaans in the national Anthem of 83 words. They refuse to accept that Afrikaners are an inseparable part of the country, for it does not suit their own narrow agendas.

Removing The Call of South Africa from the National Anthem would not bring any solutions to the unique problems that plague South Africa. Perhaps it is time for the EFF and others to come to terms with that fact.

Issued by Jan Bosman, Chief Secretary, Afrikanderbond, 18 July 2024