Anti-racism song composed to unite South Africans

Hot on the heels of a fresh racist row at the Rivers Church involving Pastor Andre Olivie‚ who allegedly made racist remarks during a sermon, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa unveiled an anti-racism song on Wednesday in an effort to foster social cohesion and nation building.

Titled No love‚ No life‚ the song features Mzwakhe Mbuli‚ Thokozani Langa‚ Zain Bhikha‚ Mbongeni Ngema‚ David Jenkins as well as backing vocals from the late Miriam Makeba.

"The global history is replete with many examples where the performing arts‚ particularly music‚ played an important role in the effort to creating socially cohesive societies‚" Mthethwa said during the launch of the song‚ held in Boksburg.

"In this regard‚ South Africa is not an exception as the role of song in the anti-apartheid struggle is well documented."

No love‚ No life, which will reportedly be included in a fully-fledged album to be released by the department, comes in as an extension of the anti-racism campaign‚ in which the Department of Arts and Culture is actively involved. Mthethwa explained that music has the power to help drive the conversation of racism forward.

"Given the continuing salience of race and racism and the negative role that social media has played as an unmediated platform‚ in the spewing of racial bigotry‚ it was appropriate that the department looked to music as a possible antidote to this racism scourge‚" he revealed during his keynote address.