Singing Diva Thandiswa Mazwai hates our National Anthem

To a certain extent I was agreeing with Thandiswa Mazwai about excluding the Die Stem out of the National Anthem, because I also felt it was the language of the oppressors.
The language of the same people that told us we were "inferior" to them.
The same people that shot at children in 16 June 1976, the same people that took my uncle away from me in 1989 and I have never seen him since.
The same people that walked into my home late in 1990, accusing us of being "ANC rebels" and calling us "kaffirs" as a child at the age of 6.
The same people that are able to call me a "kaffir" last year at FTV Sandton? Now they expect me to sing Die Stem? I mean Thandiswa has a point because I also choke when I get to the Afrikaans part, and find myself silent or mumbling the same way that some of our rugby players in the Springboks still dont sing "Nkosi'sikele" parts on full view of TVs and no one says a thing, but as Die Stem approaches they wail in shouts and screams of that part. This topic is sensitive to some and some very liberating but at the same time, but I really can relate to her status update.

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Top singer ‘hates the national anthem’

AFRO-POP singer Thandiswa Mazwai sparked controversy on Youth Day when she told friends on the social networking site Facebook that she “hates the national anthem”.

The singer refused to sing the Afrikaans anthem Die Stem during Tuesday’s Big Read campaign launch in Newtown, Johannesburg, which was also attended by actress Rosie Motene, writer Mandla Langa, education policy analyst Salim Vally and children from Soweto and Alexandra.

Soon after the event, Mazwai wrote on Facebook that she was “put on the spot” by a friend who asked her to sing the Afrikaans part of the national anthem at the event.

Mazwai wrote : “I hate this f***ing national anthem. How can it be that the anthem and prayer for Africa is now so blatantly joined with the anthem which systematically raped this land and its people of all its value and pride? How do we join these two songs and then sing them with such fake pride in this supposed new South Africa? I can’t.”

The singer did not respond to calls from The Times yesterday and has since deleted all references to the incident and ensuing debate from her Facebook profile.

Mazwai, who recently released her new album Ibokwe, hit a nerve and a stormy debate followed on her profile page.

Some agreed with her stance, a few disagreed, and others quoted Steve Biko’s book I Write What I Like in their comments.

When an online friend wrote, “You are not alone on that one. I don’t think there is any black South African who will ever sing Die Stem”, Mazwai replied: “I cannot sing Die Stem. Not now. Maybe in another 500 years when the memory is faint and the people are truly free.”

Another Facebook follower became angry, telling Mazwai: “You are a public figure and as much as you are as free as anyone to express your views and opinions, the consequences of your opinions are far-reaching and can do more damage than us mere mortals.” - The Times