“Our New National Anthem”: Sed Pillay’s Madlanga Commission Song Has Mzansi in Stitches

• Comedian Sed Pillay dropped a satirical song about the Madlanga Commission that went viral on Facebook
• The parody took aim at political and justice figures caught up in the high-profile state inquiry
• South Africans flooded the comments with praise, calling it a Grammy-worthy banger and their new national anthem

Sed Pillay, a Durban-born comedian with over 640,000 followers across social media, posted a satirical song parody on 24 August 2026 that sent South Africans into a frenzy of laughter. Filmed in a selfie style from what appears to be his bedroom, the video is titled

"Madlanga: A South African Anthem."

The song targets the ongoing Madlanga Commission of Inquiry with sharp, comedic lyrics set to a catchy tune.

The song's hook, "Madlanga oh nana, half of our country is going to jail oh na na na," played over a grid of political figures' portraits. Lines poking fun at sick notes delaying testimony and Indians serving more than curry drew particular laughs from viewers who have been following the inquiry closely.

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What the Madlanga Commission is all about

The commission is led by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga. President Cyril Ramaphosa established it following explosive 2025 claims by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi about criminal syndicates infiltrating the state. Ramaphosa has since extended its mandate to 16 November 2026.

Recent hearings have focused on prominent tenderpreneur Vusimusi "Cat" Matlala, with the inquiry probing his financial ties to the Tembisa Hospital scandal. Delays caused by self-incrimination arguments and legal wrangling over representation have kept the commission in the news for weeks.

From Deloitte to comedy gold

Pillay is no stranger to turning South Africa's most frustrating headlines into comedy. A former management consultant who worked at firms including Deloitte, he left the corporate world in 2023 to pursue stand-up and content creation full-time. He holds degrees from the University of Cape Town and has performed at venues like Durban's Suncoast Globe and Johannesburg's Lyric Theatre. His parodies on topics from Eskom load-shedding to football have earned him a loyal following.

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Mzansi reacts to the Madlanga anthem

South Africans in the comments could not get enough of the video on his Facebook page:

@Shadrack Maseleka said:

"This is a banger!!! Worthy of a Grammy nomination 🤣🤣"

@Janesh Nundlall warned:

"Be careful they don't put you on the stand in Madlanga... oh Na Na!"

@Fauzia Mohamed declared:

"Our new National Anthem!"

@Vuvu N Bongoza joked:

"I'm worried about you ke manje [now]? What if you're next on the stand because of this video 🤣🤣🤣"

@Vee Mphephethwa wondered:

"What if Madlanga is another Television Drama and we're busy thinking otherwise? 😮"

Watch Sed Pillay's Madlanga anthem that has Mzansi in stitches:

More on the Madlanga Commission

• Briefly News recently reported that Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala challenged Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi to hand over a crucial meeting recording to the Madlanga Commission.
• The Madlanga Commission ruled that Cat Matlala could not rely on Section 204 to avoid answering questions during his highly anticipated testimony.
• A video of Madlanga Commission advocate Lee Segeels-Ncube singing a Whitney Houston classic at a family celebration sparked a heated debate among South Africans online.

Source: Briefly News