marikana

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International Relations
Since the times of apartheid, music as well as other forms of protest has been effective in raising concerns about various issues facing the citizens of the nation. Creativity in protest methods by the South Africans has been used to help the government to consider seriously the issues that have been brought forward by the protestors. These protests have been used actually to attract the public attention and help the national government to see things from the different perspective (Mbuyisa). Non-violent protests in South Africa have had a significant role in making the government reassess its decisions to bring about peaceful change.
Social activists and protestors have been able to use these various forms of protest to influence the government to change its stance on various issues, and these nonviolent protest methods have had a positive effect on the government’s decision-making processes (Friedmann 102). Political subversive phrases have been used in music, and the message of these songs has been understood through the music. These songs are usually made to stir the conscience of the government, and through the music it has been possible to raise certain questions in the society, protest against certain current events and voice the opinion of the citizens of the nation. The effectiveness of the use of music and other forms of protest has been noted and observed by the nation.
All throughout the history of South Africa protest songs have been used by the public to speak out against injustices by the government.

Through this music, the nation has been able to speak out against social injustices, and the use of this music as a form of expression is a common occurrence throughout the nation. The lyrics in these songs speak out against all forms of social evil and ask for a change in the government, and it has been used effectively as a form of protest for many years. Many South African politicians recognize the importance of these alternative forms of protest and music has often been referred to as a “weapon of struggle”.
Furthermore, though many songs were not created for the purpose of political agenda, many of these songs have been adopted for use in political gatherings with the aim of advocating a particular political cause or agenda (Alexander 56).These forms of music have encrypted meanings in the lyrics and thus are used as a form of protest when there are various issues to be addressed by the government. Many artists continue to use their music to air political views and, as seen in Marika, the effects of music as a form of political expression has caused a stir of reaction by the government.
The documentary highlights the protest as seen in Marika and the devastating outcome that won the attention of the entire world. The unconventional means that were used in the protest brought about an immediate response from the government. Through this protest, the government was able to look into all the issues that sparked off these protests and also address them with immediate effect. These different forms of protest have had a tremendous impact on the dominance of the “public transcript”, as they have enabled the national government to look into the extent of force used in that particular massacre and reassess the situation with the aim of bringing about change. Indeed, music and other forms of protest that have been employed in South Africa have been effective in bringing about social and political change in South Africa.
Work Cited
Friedman, Jonathan C. The Routledge History of Social Protest in Popular Music. West Chester: Routledge, 2013. Print.
Mbuyisa, Cebelihle. The Best MARIKANA Documentary on Youtube. 2014. Web. 7 Nov. 2015.
Alexander, Peter. Marikana. Auckland Park, South Africa: Jacana Media, 2012. Print.