Former ANC member Carl Niehaus. Picture: Gallo Images/Volksblad/Mlungisi Louw
Expelled African National Congress (ANC) member Carl Niehaus has instructed members of his new party, African Radical Economic Transformation Alliance (Areta), not to sing part of South Africa’s national anthem.
Niehaus said the Areta national working board (NWB) resolved that the “apartheid and racist ‘Die Stem van Suid Afrika’ part of the national anthem, should not be sung by any of its members.
“To sing that extract of the anthem of the former apartheid regime is an insult to our whole nation, and all of those who have sacrificed their lives in the struggle against apartheid.
“All members of Areta are requested not to sing ‘Die Stem van Suid-Afrika’, which is a totally unacceptable part of the hybrid national anthem, and to sit down when that disgustingly racist part is sung,” Niehaus said.
Furthermore, the NWB resolved that only the full version of ‘Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika’ (excluding ‘Die Stem’) may be sung at all events of Areta,” he said.
South Africa’s national anthem was adopted in 1997 and is a hybrid song combining extracts of the 19th century Xhosa hymn “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika” and the Afrikaans song which was used as the South African national anthem during the apartheid era, “Die Stem van Suid-Afrika”, and new English lyrics.
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Last week, Niehaus went on a Twitter tirade and vowed that his new political movement is going to “make sure that the scumbags of the African National Congress (ANC) be discarded into the garbage bin of history”.
His remarks come after three ANC members were reportedly being investigated by the police after a case of bribery was opened against them.
Niehaus said the ANC is “corrupt and rotten to the core”.
“The only way for them is to go, and to be discarded into the garbage bin of history. Areta is going to make sure that this is exactly where all of these scumbags go,” he said.
ALSO READ: Niehaus vows to discard ‘ANC scumbags into garbage bin of history’
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