The African National Congress Individualistic Culture as Expressed in Duma Nqanawe Yangempela Poem Not Yet Uhuru

Igneciah Pocia Thete; Gcinile Beauty Thwala

doi:10.47814/ijssrr.v7i7.2147

Igneciah Pocia Thete Department of African Languages, University of Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
Gcinile Beauty Thwala Department of African Languages, University of Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa

DOI: https://doi.org/10.47814/ijssrr.v7i7.2147

Keywords: Individualism, Individualistic Culture, Poem, ANC, Corruption

Abstract

This article delves into the individualistic culture depicted in Duma’s poem ‘Not Yet Uhuru,’ available on YouTube (2021). The discussion centers on how the poem reveals the individualistic tendencies within the African National Congress (ANC) political party, focusing on four key areas: corruption, unemployment, nepotism, and public service delivery. Given that the ANC is the dominant political party in South Africa, it is incumbent upon it to address the needs of South African citizens. This study utilized textual and audio analysis, drawing data from an audio poem on YouTube. The study is grounded in reader-response theory, which highlights the authors' perspectives on their experiences and observations as a key aspect of expressive writing. The findings indicate that Duma’s poem unveils the individualistic conduct of the ANC's leadership. Duma acknowledges in the poem that while not all ANC leaders are driven by greed, the majority are. The study suggests that poems like ‘Not Yet Uhuru’ deserve more attention as they can effectively bring attention to the government's misconduct and prompt improved treatment of the people who elected them.

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