National symbols — South Africa
Anthem and national symbols.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ National symbols at a glance
Anthem and national symbols. Key figure for South Africa: adopted 1994; a combination of "N'kosi Sikelel' Africa" (God Bless Africa) and "Die Stem van Suid Afrika" (The Call of South Africa), which were respectively the anthems of the non-white and white communities under apartheid; official lyrics contain a mixture of Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans, and English (i.e., the five most widely spoke…
Immigration rules and fees change frequently — confirm current requirements on official government or embassy websites.
National anthem
- Anthem History
- adopted 1994
- a combination of "N'kosi Sikelel' Africa" (God Bless Africa) and "Die Stem van Suid Afrika" (The Call of South Africa), which were respectively the anthems of the non-white and white communities under apartheid
- official lyrics contain a mixture of Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans, and English (i.e., the five most widely spoken of South Africa's 11 official languages)
- music incorporates the melody used in the Tanzanian and Zambian anthems
- Anthem Lyrics
Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika and Die Stem / The Call of South Africa Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo, Yizwa imithandazo yethu, Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo. Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso, O fedise dintwa la matshwenyeho, O se boloke, O se boloke setjhaba sa heso, Setjhaba sa South Afrika - South Afrika. Uit die blou van onse hemel, Uit die diepte van ons see, Oor ons ewige gebergtes, Waar die kranse antwoord gee, Sounds the call to come together, And united we shall stand, Let us live and strive for freedom, In South Africa our land.