Soweto Blues " is a protest song written by Hugh Masekela and performed by Miriam Makeba . The song is about the Soweto uprising that occurred in 1976 , following the decision by the apartheid government of South Africa to make Afrikaans a medium of instruction at school . The uprising was forcefully put down by the police , leading to the death of between 176 and 700 people . The song was released in 1977 as part of Masekela 's album '' You Told Your Mama Not to Worry '' . The song became a staple at Makeba 's live concerts , and is considered a notable example of music in the movement against apartheid
Soweto uprising
Soweto uprising
Soweto Blues