Sarafina! is South African musical based on the Soweto Uprising in opposition to the implementation of Afrikaans as the language of instruction in Apartheid South African schools.

Here, Sarafina is young black South African struggling for freedom during the apartheid. While she has remained relatively silent in her opposition of the racist government in her country, the movement to make the language of Afrikaans the official language in her school leads her to protest in the streets with her fellow students. Her anti-government views become even more intense when her favorite teacher is arrested for protesting.