who wrote nkosi siki lele, south african anthem?

Answer 1

"Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" ("God Bless Africa" in the Xhosa language) is a hymn composed in 1897 by Enoch Sontonga, a teacher at a Methodist mission school in Johannesburg, South Africa. The hymn is the national anthem of Tanzania and Zambia. It was the anthem of ANC since 1925, and part of South Africa's national anthem since 1994. It is also the former anthem of Zimbabwe and Namibia.

The words of the first stanza were originally written in Xhosa as a hymn. In 1927 seven additional Xhosa stanzas were added by the poet Samuel Mqhayi. Solomon Plaatje, one of South Africa's greatest writers and a founding member of the ANC, was the first to have the song recorded. This was in London in 1923. A Sotho version was published in 1942 by Moses Mphahlele. Rev. John L. Dube 's Ohlange Zulu Choir popularised the hymn at concerts in Johannesburg, and it became a popular church hymn that was also adopted as the anthem at political meetings. It has also been recorded by artists like Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the Mahotella Queens.

Answer 2

Enoch Sontonga.

But note that the South African anthem is made up of half "nkosi siki lele" and the other half "die stem" (which was the anthem during the previous regime). The usage of both anthems as one is part of the reconcilliation of all South Africans.

Here is some more history about the anthem to complement Porgie's contribution:

After the birth of the Union of South Africa in 1910, the search started for a National Anthem with a South African idiom that could be used in either official languages - 'Die Stem van Suid-Afrika' ('The Call of South Africa') fulfilled these needs.

It was a poem written by Cornelis Jacob Langenhoven (1873-1932) on May 30 and 31 1918. Originally there were only three verses, by a request a fourth followed a few days later. A national competition was held to get the best possible music, sponsored by 'Die Burger', a Cape newspaper. In April 1919, Marthinus Lourens de Villiers (1885-1977) made a first attempt, but it did not satisfy Langenhoven. After he had tried several others, de Villiers finally came forward with an acceptable tune in 1921. For many years the lyrics were accompanied by different melodies. This popular tune contributed greatly to the general adoption of 'Die Stem' as a National Anthem. After his retirement de Villiers made 17 journeys throughout the country, and visited many schools. When the South African Broadcasting Corporation started to close its daily broadcasts from its Cape studio with both 'God Save the King' and 'Die Stem', the general public also became familiar with it. In 1932 the 'Federasie van Afrikaanse Kultuurverenigings', then a new cultural organisation, announced a competition for the best lyrics and composition to be used as the official National Anthem. Fifty five poems were sent in and forty compositions. It was not surprising, therefore, that in 1936 the poem by Langenhoven and the composition by de Villiers were unanimously accepted by the selection committee of the aforementioned organisation.

In 1938, the then Prime Minister, decided that 'Die Stem' should be played at the opening of Parliament, together with 'God Save the King'. It was not till May 2 1957, however, that another Prime Minister announced in Parliament that the government had accepted 'Die Stem' as the official National Anthem of South Africa.

Official acceptance intensified the search for a suitable English translation. In 1952, a special committee, comprising eminent South Africans, finally recommended a translation made from the best parts of more than 220 translations submitted. The then Prime Minister accepted it for official use, in the same year the National Anthem was sung in English for the first time, the occasion was the Van Riebeeck Festival in Cape Town. The English version was revised in 1959.

With effect from April 27 1994, South Africa adopted two official National Anthems, 'Die Stem' and 'Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika'. On May 17 1995, with Cabinet approval, the National Anthems were shortened and merged into one version for ceremonial purposes. The new shortened version comprises five of South Africa's official languages; it starts with 'Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika' in Xhosa and Zulu (both being Nguni languages) and Sotho, and is followed by the opening lines of 'Die Stem' in Afrikaans and ends with an excerpt of 'The Call of South Africa' in English. The five languages referred to above are the only languages used.

Answer 3

Enoch Sontonga