VPMA93H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 7: Cornelis Jacobus Langenhoven, South African Broadcasting Corporation, Enoch Sontonga
Document Summary
Please read and make notes on the background of the south african national anthem: http://www. gov. za/about-sa/national-symbols/national-anthem. Die stem van suid-afrika is a poem written by cj langenhoven in may 1918. The music was composed by the reverend ml de villiers in 1921. The south african broadcasting corporation played both god save the king and die stem to close their daily broadcasts and the public became familiar with it. In the same year, government also acquired the copyright and this was confirmed by an act of parliament in 1959. In 1952, the official english version of the national anthem, the call of south africa was accepted for official use. Nkosi sikelel" iafrika was composed in 1897 by enoch sontonga, a methodist mission school teacher. The words of the first stanza were originally written in xhosa as a hymn. Seven additional stanzas in xhoza were later added by the poet, samuel mqhayi.
