Coming Tomorrow
Mbongeni Ngema Lyrics

The song Coming Tomorrow by Mbongeni Ngema is a powerful anthem of hope for a brighter future for black South Africans, who were struggling against apartheid oppression in the 1980s. The repeating chorus "Asinamali thin'abamnyama" ("We have no money, we black people") highlights the economic disparity between black and white South Africans during apartheid, with black people being systematically oppressed and impoverished. The first verse repeats the phrase "Namhla, sengibona sihlobane ngezinye izizwe" ("Today, I see us united with other nations"), which may refer to a vision of a united, multi-racial society in South Africa after apartheid. However, the next two lines, "Thina, Bant'abamnyama, ngoba siyahlupheka, asinalutho" ("We black people are struggling, we have nothing"), indicate that this vision has not yet been realized, and that black people are still oppressed and disadvantaged.

The second verse highlights the contrast between the privilege and prosperity of white South Africans, who "rule the country" ("abamhlophe bona basabusa namanje"), and the poverty and struggle of black South Africans. The chorus repeats again, emphasizing the economic hardship experienced by black South Africans as a result of apartheid. The third verse expresses a determination to overcome this struggle and to achieve a better future for black South Africans. The repeated line "Sasithi sikhululekile makubuy'izinkokheli zethu" ("We have been liberated so our leaders can return") may refer to the release of Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid activists from prison, and the hope that they will lead the country to a new era of democracy and equality.