Paper short abstract:

The paper discusses the widespread notion that not much has changed in ZA since 1994. Organized abandonment characterizes a socio-political situation against the backdrop of which also musical and music-based calls for a continuation of the struggle for freedom take place.

Paper long abstract:

South Africa’s 1994 transition to democracy is internationally marketed as a symbol of peace and reconciliation. However, as South African political scientist Karl von Holdt convincingly argues, the democratic constitution legally ratifies the outcome of centuries of racialized violence during colonial and Apartheid reigns. Numerous musicians—who might not necessarily understand themselves as political spokespeople—find themselves propelled to take a stance, because they share with many fellow inhabitants in the notion that way too little has changed since 1994. Can we understand their music productions as struggle songs? And how do they build on and give relevance to an archive of songs that emerged during and guided the protests against the racist system of Apartheid? The paper builds on Ruth Wilson Gilmore’s notion of organized abandonment (as an alternative to the conceptual challenges posed by the notion of structural violence) to grasp the politico-economic situation in which calls for a continuation of the struggle against racialized oppression take place and (musical) calls for, if needed violent, counter-actions appear justified.