When the first guy starts singing, you can imagine all of the shoppers at Woolies grocery store probably thought he’d lost his mind. But when the second person joins in, and then the rest of the Soweto Gospel Choir, you will find yourself breathless.
The song was written for Mandela when he was imprisoned. The lyrics, from a post by Salon, are below.
Asimbonanga [we have not seen him]
Asimbonang’ uMandela thina [we have not seen Mandela]
Laph’ekhona [in the place where he is]
Laph’ehleli khona [in the place where he is kept]
Asimbonanga
Asimbonang ‘umfowethu thina [we have not seen our brother]
Laph’ekhona [in the place where he is]
Laph’wafela khona [in the place where he died]
Sithi: Hey, wena [We say: hey, you]
Hey, wena nawe [Hey, you and you]
Siyofika nini la’ siyakhona [when will we arrive at our destination]