During the local elections there was plenty of harping back to days of old, some parties clamouring to take hold of Mandela’s legacy and others calling them ‘Trojan Horses of apartheid’.

Name-calling aside, because that’s a sport our politicians excel at, attention also fell on our national anthem – particularly the Afrikaans Die Stem section.

Julius Malema and Mmusi Maimane spoke out, with Mmusi having to clarify statements that he likened it to Jewish people singing Nazi songs (HERE).

Now political commentator Max du Preez has waded into the debate in a lengthy opinion piece, saying that Maimane should be at the centre of efforts to remove Die Stem from our anthem once and for all.

Here are some excerpts from the piece on News24:

I have been arguing for the removal of Die Stem from our anthem for a long time. I love our anthem, but I’ve never been able to sing the “Uit die blou van onse hemel” part. Before you choke on your porridge, here are my arguments.

There is nothing wrong with the actual words or melody of Die Stem. But no adult South African can have any doubt that is a symbol closely associated with the apartheid era…

Many white South Africans complain that two decades after we became a democracy they are still blamed for apartheid, and they ask that we rather negotiate a better future than be stuck in the past.

But what sense does it make then to remind the rest of South Africa of apartheid every time we sing our national anthem?

The comments were left open on this one, so you can bet all those starved of their News24 comments section bickering were waiting, but for now on with Max:

I believe the solution is obvious and simple. Replace the verses from Die Stem with verses of Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika in Afrikaans and English, using the same melody. That would make the same point of including minority groups, but not send a signal that whites are nostalgic about the past. It can’t offend anyone.

If this proposal comes from the DA, the party supported by most members of the minority groups, it would send a powerful message of goodwill and reconciliation to the black majority, something that is badly needed.

There are many South Africans, not only EFF members, who sing Nkosi Sikelel iAfrica with gusto, but shut up when Die Stem starts.

I’d tend to disagree here – watch any Bok home game this Rugby Championship and you’ll hear Die Stem sung with more gusto than what came before, and I’ve noticed it in overseas matches too.

A quick look at the comments section, because why the hell not?

Anyone want to take a stab at writing that new national anthem?

Finally, Steve Hofmeyr:

Those pesky liberals, hey Steve. How he must long for those ‘good old days’…

[source:news24]