Songs of revolution

By Tsuai

Once used to fight the oppressors, they now mock former liberators, the new ruling class

During the dark days of oppression and apartheid blacks gathered for marches and demonstrations to demand their rights and freedoms. Long before the freedom fighters took to arms in 1961 under the auspices of uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) songs of revolution were ammunition and glue that kept the freedom loving masses together.

Through songs like Nkosi Sikelel’ Africa (God bless Africa), senzenina (What have we done?), wathinta abafazi, wathinta imbokotho (You strike a woman you strike a rock) the people articulated their frustrations, their demands and sometimes mocked their oppressors.

One will also remember the old MK song, Awuleth umshiniwami (bring my machine gun), now turned bubblegum pop song by the ANC’s Jacob Zuma.

The songs were about self-sacrifice, heroism, civil disobedience, anti-racism and anti-sexism. At the 1955 Congress of the People when they drafted the Freedom Charter, when women marched to the Union Buildings in 1956 and during the 1976 Soweto uprisings revolutionary songs were never left behind.

There are various freedom songs particular to the civic movement, workers, students and guerilla fighters and women whereby each group articulates its needs and wants.

The unbanning of the liberation movement and the attainment of freedom in 1994 did not see the disappearance of struggle songs. The leaders of the revolution contend that political freedom has been achieved and that economic freedom still remains to be achieved.

Therefore the people have not stopped singing. They still sing the old songs but there are also recent ones. The sad fact is that whereas in the old days they sang obscenely about the oppressor, today they mock their liberators who are now the ruling class.

During the massive civil service strike early this year the marchers insulted Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi by singing derogatory songs aimed at her. The ANC President Thabo Mbeki has also not escaped the wrath of Cosatu and SACP members who sang un-revolutionary songs about him.

Will the delegates to the ANC conference in Polokwane also sing songs against the leaders that they don’t support? It remains to be seen.

http://www.reporter.co.za/article.aspx?ID=RP21A665273


This is one of my articles that was published on Reporter.co.za. This is a news website that is "written by the people for the people."