Shacks tell of need for protest theatre
Mbongeni Ngema says the struggle was for economic emancipation, but life has not changed much for the poor, writes Edward Tsumele
The message in his play Sarafina! is as relevant today as it was in 1987, says celebrated playwright Mbongeni Ngema. He says that although a democratic government is now in power and apartheid laws no longer oppress black people, SA still faces many challenges. "There is a lot that still needs to be addressed to improve the quality of life for the majority that still live in abject poverty, and the levels of inequality between the poor and the rich are ever growing," says Ngema. "We still have people who live in shacks, some without electricity. What’s happened is that the same capitalist system that existed during apartheid has never been touched. "The former freedom fighters have just assumed office, and the same model of the economy that existed then has never been changed. The only difference is that among the few white people that are extremely rich, we also have a few black people that are also obscenely rich, to the exclusion of the majority." Sarafina!, the musical that capt...
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