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eventREF E-0091542Revised

Event record

President Nelson Mandela awards the Gold Order of Meritorious Service posthumously to Enoch Sontonga, composer of “Nkosi, Sekel

President Nelson Mandela awards the Gold Order of Meritorious Service posthumously to Enoch Sontonga, composer of “Nkosi, Sekel

Date
24 Sep 1996
Updated
30 Sep 2019
President Nelson Mandela awards the Gold Order of Meritorious Service posthumously to Enoch Sontonga, composer of “Nkosi, Sekel

On 24 September 1996, Heritage Day, the grave of Enoch Sontonga who composed and wrote the first verse and chorus of Nkosi, Sekelel' iAfrika, was declared a national monument. A fitting memorial erected on the sitewas unveiled by President Nelson Mandela. At the ceremony President Nelson Mandela awarded the Order of Meritorious Service (Gold) posthumously to Sontonga for his service to South Africa. . His granddaughter, Mrs Ida Rabotape received the award. Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika, our national anthem, is a prayer for God's blessing on the land and its entire people. It was composed in 1897 and was initially meant to be a school anthem. A well-known Xhosa poetSamuel Mqhayi  wrote seven additional stanzas for the song.

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How we know this

  1. 01Wallis, F. (2000). Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000 jaar, Kaapstad: Human & Rousseau.
  2. 02Nelson Mandela (1996) Speeches from ANC Organisation [online] Available at: www.anc.org.za [Accessed on 13 September 2013] 

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2012, August 23). President Nelson Mandela awards the Gold Order of Meritorious Service posthumously to Enoch Sontonga, composer of “Nkosi, Sekel. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0091542

South African History Online (2012) 'President Nelson Mandela awards the Gold Order of Meritorious Service posthumously to Enoch Sontonga, composer of “Nkosi, Sekel', South African History Online, 23 August. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0091542 (Accessed: 28 August 2026).

South African History Online, President Nelson Mandela awards the Gold Order of Meritorious Service posthumously to Enoch Sontonga, composer of “Nkosi, Sekel [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0091542, (accessed 28 August 2026).

"President Nelson Mandela awards the Gold Order of Meritorious Service posthumously to Enoch Sontonga, composer of “Nkosi, Sekel." South African History Online, 23 Aug. 2012, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0091542. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "President Nelson Mandela awards the Gold Order of Meritorious Service posthumously to Enoch Sontonga, composer of “Nkosi, Sekel." South African History Online. August 23, 2012. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0091542.

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