“Jerusalema Took Over the World”: Throwback Clips Show How SA Hit United Millions

• Master KG and Nomcebo Zikode's Jerusalema became one of the biggest global music phenomena of the 21st century, spanning 156 countries
• French President Emmanuel Macron joined in on a live performance of the South African hit at the Africa-France Summit in Nairobi in May 2026
• South Africans online flooded the comments with pride after a carousel of viral Jerusalema moments resurfaced on Instagram

A throwback carousel posted by @_durbanculture on 28 October 2026 reminded the world just how far a South African song once travelled. The post, celebrating Master KG and Nomcebo Zikode's iconic gospel-house track Jerusalema, racked up 4.9K likes and drew dozens of comments from people still moved by the song's reach.

Jerusalema was released in late 2019 but exploded globally in 2020 when the #JerusalemaDanceChallenge swept across the world during COVID-19 lockdowns. The spark came from an Angolan dance troupe called Fenómenos do Semba, who filmed themselves doing a joyful 24-step routine in a backyard in Luanda. That simple video became the blueprint the world followed.

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A song that crossed every border

The challenge spread to over 156 countries. It topped the Shazam Global Charts as the most-searched song on the planet and hit number one in France, Italy, Portugal and Belgium. It pulled in over one billion views across TikTok and YouTube combined.

What made Jerusalema truly special was who took part. Hospital workers in France, Germany and Sweden danced in corridors to keep spirits up. Romanian firefighters, the Irish Gardaí and Swiss police filmed choreographed routines. Priests, monks and nuns joined in from Italy to Canada. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa urged the nation to take up the challenge for Heritage Day. Kenya's National Assembly filmed a group routine. Even footballer Neymar couldn't help but join in.

Macron brings Jerusalema back

The most recent moment to capture attention came on 12 May 2026, when French President Emmanuel Macron joined a live performance of the song at the Africa-France Summit in Nairobi, Kenya. In a full suit, he was filmed smiling, clapping and dancing alongside African delegates and summit attendees, bringing the track back into the global spotlight six years after its peak.

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Watch the full Jerusalema throwback carousel that has South Africans proud:

Mzansi reacts to the throwback

South Africans in the comments section on the Instagram page could not hide their pride:

@monopolar_70 said:

"And I love how it brought crowds dancing together 😢"

@mlamulimadea_sa wrote:

"It gave us hope during the pandemic."

@slomokazi shared:

"Literally got the whole world through covid 🙌🏾"

@sam_scoop declared:

"MZANSI WILL ALWAYS BE AN INFLUENTIAL COUNTRY NOMA BANGATHINI [no matter what they say] 🔥🔥🙌"

@azama_m noted:

"It's actually so fitting to see people in church dancing to the song cause it's literally a church song 💗😅"

@shotspassion added:

"Good thing the song went viral before AI."

@iammbuso_mohlamme said:

"Never been proud being a South African 🤞"

More on South African music and dance

• Briefly News recently reported that South African dancer Limpopo Boy represented the country at the Red Bull Dance Your Style World Final in Zürich, Switzerland, where he competed against French dancer Willis.
• A South African maths teacher celebrated submitting his QMS with a joyful dance in his classroom, and viewers loved his moves.
• Healthcare workers at an Ebola treatment centre in DR Congo sang and danced as their final patient was discharged, with viewers praising their dedication.

Source: Briefly News