SOAP OPERA

South African rugby fans slams Italian opera singer who 'butchered' our national anthem

- BY BERNELFE VOLLMER

SOUTH Africans are grilling an Italian opera singer for butchering the national anthem ahead of the Springboks' Test match against Italy.

This past weekend had all the makings of a proper rugby jol - South Africa versus Italy, choppie (meat) sizzling on the braai, and whatever drink keeps you hydrated enough to yell at the TV.

And, of course, as any South African knows, the match doesn't truly start until we've belted out "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika".

like we're auditioning for a Whitney Houston tribute show. We don't play when it comes to the anthem.

But shem, this weekend's rendition didn't land the way Mzansi hoped. Our anthem is unique, with five languages: isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans and English.