Die Stem van Suid-Afrika

Die Stem van Suid-Afrika[1] (The Call of South Africa) was an Afrikaans poem, written by C.J. Langenhoven , and also set to music by him. First published as part of his piece called "Eerste Skoffies op die Pad van Suid-Afrika" in Die Huisgenoot, and later in his collected works as part of Die Pad van Suid-Afrika.

In 1921 the poem was set to music composed by the Reverend M. L. de Villiers, and widely accepted as an informal national anthem from the 1920s onwards, played on radio at the close of broadcast, at public events and at schools. In 1957, it was formally adopted as the national anthem of South Africa, and remained so from 1957 to 1994. Often referred to simply as Die Stem, even in English or other language publications and performances.

After 1994 it shared national anthem status with Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika[2] (the anthem of the ANC),until 1997, when a new hybrid anthem was adopted, also entitled Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika, but containing the first verses of Nkosi in Xhosa, the first verse of Die Stem in Afrikaans, and the second verse in English.

All three versions are often referred to in plays performed in South Africa.