The approach of Heritage Day this weekend may seem to be an unlikely moment to focus on the recent furore over Julius Malema’s singing of “Kill the Boer, Kill the farmer”. But the chant, which can be so divisive and is still held strongly in the collective memory of some, is worth examining in the context of the heritage of protest songs in South Africa.
To understand protest songs, we must look at their history.
Slogans and songs arose in practically all sectors of our society during the Struggle years. This included the church. A…
