Kurt Darren probably wishes he re-read Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika before the Varsity Cup final

There have been a number of people in history who have, well, remixed the South African national anthem, shall we say. And the latest to join this infamous list is Afrikaans pop star Kurt Darren.

Performing Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika in Stellenbosch at the Varsity Cup final on Monday, Darren made it past much of the first verse, but sort of forgot the rest of the second verse.

Instead of following “Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso” with “O fedise dintwa la matshwenyeh”, Darren went straight back to “Yizwa imithandazo, yethu”. Sure, it’s not an error non-South Africans will notice, but lucky (or unlucky for Darren) enough there are a boat load of us on social media.

South Africans took to Twitter in bemusement, with plenty of references to the previous kings of the South African anthem…

“Kurt Darren thoroughly mangled our national anthem,” one user wrote.

According to Kurt Darren “Manny Pacquiao is coming here Yoh” 🤷‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/QYrfCGYTRm

— Bazil the Bulldog (@BaziltheBulldog) April 15, 2019

What the “Rasta Dumisani” is #KurtDarren singing? What a butchery of the National Anthem… #VarsityCup #SSRugby @Springboks @SuperSportTV pic.twitter.com/ps7HUNWYwA

— Lux (@luxster_08) April 15, 2019

And just like that Kurt Darren completely butchers the National Anthem! Check the Tukkies players chuckling to each other. Oh dear. “O ek wil huis toe gaan!” @SuperSportBlitz @varsitycup @supersports pic.twitter.com/yFEAseqeuG

— Cape Africa Tours (@capeafricatours) April 15, 2019

Kurt Darren just butchered a part of
Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika at the #VarsityCup final. Reminded me of Ard Matthews 😂 pic.twitter.com/TtIpr5E9vA

— Leighton Koopman (@Leighton_K) April 15, 2019

What’s more telling about the Kurt Darren situation is how he was basically singing on his own until Die Stem began — then suddenly the crowd joined in (loudly).

Were spectators quietly reflecting during Nkosi Sikelela/Morena Boloka?

— ✨ Hloni Mtimkulu ✨ (@HloniMtimkulu) April 15, 2019

Kurt Darren thoroughly mangled our national anthem…..

— Khanyiso Tshwaku (@kaymorizm) April 15, 2019

Others were deeply serious about South Africans’ awareness of the anthem itself.

People always complaining about how the .@EFFSouthAfrica doesn’t sing the Afrikaans part of the National Anthem. Today Kurt Darren couldn’t even sing the national anthem and it’s all fun and jokes

Kurt Darren doesn’t know the national anthem

— Sefularo Keamogetswe (@Sefularo_Keamo) April 15, 2019

Either way, Darren and the Varsity Cup final between Maties and Tuks were both trending terms on Monday evening on Twitter, probably in part to Darren’s questionable performance.

Maties’ performance however was far from questionable. The Stellenbosch team took home its fifth Varsity Cup trophy in a 34-12 win against University of Pretoria Tuks.

Feature image: screenshot, @BazilTheBulldog via Twitter