Tshwarelo Hunter Mogakane
Pretoria - Opposition parties have expressed disappointment at an ANC event where members of the governing party sang the national anthem, excluding the Afrikaans and English parts.
In a video clip that circulated on social media, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula was visibly surprised when the members, reportedly from the ANC Youth League, brought the song to an end after the Sesotho rendition.
Heckling could be heard when the song was abruptly brought to an end.
The video, viewed more than 100 000 times under one post, and similar views for the same clip posted by others, has caused tensions.
The ANC members refused to sing the Afrikaans part of the National Anthem in Bloemfontein, Free State. pic.twitter.com/r3opLLmHfo
— TK_Nala 📚 (@NalaThokozane) January 8, 2023
The general sentiment was that young ANC members were finally aligning with the radical stance of the EFF that has been calling for the “Die Stem” to be removed from the anthem.
Others felt it was alienating Afrikaans speakers who are not white.
DA national spokesperson Solly Malatji warned that the actions of the ANC members were divisive.
“The South African national anthem is the unifying soundtrack of our rainbow nation.
“It’s an inclusive representation of our country’s diverse cultures, which should be celebrated at all times rather than be selectively used to divide South Africa,” Malatji said.
GOOD Party MP Brett Herron said it was worrying to hear heckling in the background of the clip.
“The national anthem was settled nearly 30 years ago and includes parts of ‘Die Stem’ and ‘The Call of South Africa’ being the Afrikaans and English versions of the apartheid South African anthem.
“While some may find it impossible to sing the apartheid verses of the national anthem, we must respect their right not to do so. The appropriate conduct would be to stop singing and stand in silence,” he said.
Herron said that the nation owed it to itself to heal the past but embrace unity at the same time.
“The ANC and its leadership, being the governing party and a major player in negotiating our democracy, including what the national anthem would be, must lead in the work of nation building. Allowing the anthem simply to end after the ‘Nkosi Sikelel iAfrika’ verses undermines the opportunity to do so on every occasion that presents itself,” said Herron.
The MP added that it was not the ANC’s duty alone to unite South Africa.
“It’s not the ANC’s lone duty to build a unified democratic South Africa where the diversity of all our cultures are embraced.
“That is a duty we all share and must continuously work at and strive for.
“That means those who mumble through the words of ‘Nkosi Sikelel iAfrika’ because they haven’t learnt them must learn them and sing them, too,” Herron said.
ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe was not available for comment.
Pretoria News