(WIKIPEDIA) "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" or "Ngawethu!" (To us), completing the South African version of the rallying cry Power to the People![. 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 and the Anti-Eviction Campaign use "Amandla Ngawethu!" during their anti-government and anti-political party protests. 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.[6] 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."
I took this photo my first day in Jo'Burg in a neighborhood called Melville.
