Sarafina!

She was their teacher. They were her hope.

117 mins
The plot centers on students involved in the Soweto Riots, in opposition to the implementation of Afrikaans as the language of instruction in schools. The stage version presents a school uprising similar to the Soweto uprising on June 16, 1976. A narrator introduces several characters among them the school girl activist Sarafina. Things get out of control when a policeman shoots several pupils in a classroom. Nevertheless, the musical ends with a cheerful farewell show of pupils leaving school, which takes most of act two. In the movie version Sarafina feels shame at her mother's (played by Miriam Makeba in the film) acceptance of her role as domestic servant in a white household in apartheid South Africa, and inspires her peers to rise up in protest, especially after her inspirational teacher, Mary Masombuka (played by Whoopi Goldberg in the film version) is imprisoned.

Whoopi Goldberg

Mary Masembuko

John Kani

School Principal

Mary Twala

Sarafina's Grandmother

Tertius Meintjes

Lieutenant Bloem

Robert Whitehead

Interrogator

Greg Latter

Policeman

Michelle Bestbier

Mrs. Hendricks

Patrick Ndlovu

Victor Gumede

James Mthoba

Sarafina's Uncle

Gideon de Wet

Policeman

Sibusiso Ngema

Funeral Leader

Xolani Dlamini

Sarafina's Brother

Siya Ngcobo

Sarafina's Brother

Louis Seboko

Joe Masombuka

Sam Ngakane

Guitar's Father

Doris Sehula

Woman Shopper

Dominic Skosana

Prison Guard

Ishmael Boikanyo

Prison Guard

Siphamandla Ngcamu

Testimonies / Crocodile's Gang Member / Dancer

Mfana 'Jones' Hlope

Testimonies / Crocodile's Gang Member / Dancer

Thulani Didi

Crocodile's Gang Member / Dancer

Vincent Ngobese

Crocodile's Gang Member / Dancer

Vukani Dlamini

Crocodile's Gang Member / Dancer (as Vukani 'Marko' Dlamini)

Gugwana Dlamini

Sarafina's Friend / Dancer

Dipou Lehlongwa

Sarafina's Friend / Dancer

Khuluiwe Sithole

Sarafina's Friend / Dancer

Batho Mhlongo

Sarafina's Friend / Dancer

Billy Mashigo

Shebeen Drinker

Dixon Malele

Shebeen Drinker

Eric Seema

Shebeen Drinker

Mate Bashe

Teacher

Sbongile Dingatha

Woman Shopper

Olga Mvicane

Woman Shopper

Sindi Dlathu

Dancer (as Sindiswa Dlathu)

John Lata

Dancer

Stephen Evans

Police Officer (uncredited)

Dieketseng Mnisi

Dancer / Singer (uncredited)

Stanley Myers

Original Music Composer

Mark Vicente

Director of Photography

Tania Jenkins

Line Producer

Helena Spring

Executive Producer

Sanjeev Singh

Executive Producer

Mbongeni Ngema

Screenplay

Rick Cresswell

Special Effects Coordinator

Mbongeni Ngema

Theatre Play

Kirk D'Amico

Executive Producer

Nicky De Beer

Supervising Sound Editor

Emilia Roux

Set Decoration

Debra-Lee Davidson

Makeup Artist

Graham Hickson

First Assistant Director

Megan Gill

First Assistant Editor

David Barkham

Production Design

Sudhir Pragjee

Executive Producer

Anant Singh

Producer

Michael Peters

Choreographer

Gabriella Molnar

Key Makeup Artist

Gabriella Molnar

Key Hair Stylist

Roly Jansen

Stunt Coordinator

Mbongeni Ngema

Choreographer

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