Amandla (power)

Amandla is a Xhosa and Zulu word meaning "power". The word was a popular rallying cry in the days of resistance against Apartheid, used by the African National Congress and its allies. The leader of a group would call out "Amandla!" and the crowd would respond with "Awethu"^[1] or "Ngawethu!"^[2] (To us), completing the South African version of the rallying cry Power to the People!^[3]. The word is still associated with struggles against oppression.

Mandla, which is derived from "amandla", is also a common first name in South Africa. It is also the name of a leftist NGO that publishes a magazine by the same name.

Current use in South Africa

After Apartheid ended, people have begun to use the rallying cry 'Amandla' to express their grievances against current government policies including those of the ANC. The Trade Unions still use it during their mass meetings and protests.

Use of the term has also become back into popularity during recent service deliver protests and among poor people's movements. South Africa's independent social movements such as Abahlali baseMjondolo, the Anti-Eviction Campaign and the Mandela Park Backyarders use "Amandla Ngawethu!" during their anti-government and anti-political party protests.^[4][5][6] The chant is often used by the movements as a way of beginning or ending a speech as well as quieting down a crowd when a speaker has something important to say.^[7] The Anti-Eviction Campaign also uses the phrase "Power to the Poor People" as a variation of "Amandla Ngawethu" and "Power to the People" to denote the need of poor people's movements to control and speak for themselves and not have wealthy left NGOs speak for them.^[8]

See also

• Amandla!: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony
• Amandala, Belizean newspaper deriving its name from the word
• Amandla (song)- 46664 (Nelson Mandela HIV/AIDS charity)
• Amandla Festival, a 1979 world music festival held in Boston, Massachusetts
• Anti-Eviction Campaign
• Abahlali baseMjondolo
• Amandla Development
• Amand.la
• Amandla Publishers
• The Mandela Park Backyarders

References

1. ^ Speech by Gauteng MEC for Community Safety Firoz Cachalia, 30 March 2007
2. ^ Statement by the President of the ANC, Thabo Mbeki, at the unveiling of the Thokoza Monument, 16 October 1999, Thokoza
3. ^ Minister Essop Pahad: Address on the occasion of The Presidency Budget Vote National Assembly, 12 June 2007
4. ^ "Five families from Symphony Way get their keys but refuse to move into their house". Anti-Eviction Campaign. http://antieviction.org.za/2008/12/08/five-families-from-symphony-way-get-their-keys-but-refuse-to-move-into-their-house/. 
5. ^ "“Amandla Awethu”: Direct Action by Civil Society in eThekwini". Abahlali baseMjondolo. http://www.abahlali.org/node/906. 
6. ^ "“What’s the Deal With Toyi-toyi?”". Cape Town Magazine. http://www.capetownmagazine.com/whats-the-deal-with/Whats-the-Deal-With-Toyitoyi/125_22_17384. 
7. ^ "Post Annual General Meeting Speech by S'bu Zikode". Abahlali baseMjondolo. http://abahlali.org/node/4666. 
8. ^ "African movements continue their fights against NGO authoritarianism". Anti-Eviction Campaign. http://antieviction.org.za/2007/02/12/african-movements-continue-their-fights-against-ngo-authoritarianism/.