ฟังเพลงStimela (The Coal Train)

There is a train that comes from Namibia and Malawi

There is a train that comes from Zambia and Zimbabwe

There is a train that comes from Angola and Mozambique

From Lesotho from Botswana from Swaziland

From all the hinterland of Southern and Central Africa

This train carries young and old African men

Who are conscripted to come and work on contract

In the golden mineral mines of Johannesburg

And its surrounding metropolis sixteen hours or more a day

For almost no pay

Deep deep deep down in the belly of the earth

When they are digging and drilling that shiny mighty evasive stone

Or when they dish that mish mesh mush food

Into their iron plates with the iron shank

Or when they sit in their stinking funky filthy

Flea-ridden barracks and hostels

They think about the loved ones they may never see again

Because they might have already been forcibly removed

From where they last left them

Or wantonly murdered in the dead of night

By roving marauding gangs of no particular origin

We are told

They think about their lands and their herds

That were taken away from them

With the gun and the bomb and the teargas the gatling and the cannon

And when they hear that Choo-Choo train

A-chugging and a pumping and a smoking and a pushing a pumping a crying and a steaming and a chugging and a whooo whooo

They always cuss and they curse the coal train

The coal train that brought them to Johannesburg Whooo whooo

Trumpet solo

x2

Stimela

Sihamba ngamalahle

Sivel' eTalakubayi

Sangilahla kwaGuqa

Bathi sizoba amalahle

sizoba amalahle

Iyohhh

Sidl inyol' enkomponi

Stimela

Sihleli njengezinja siyelele mame

Emikodini mama

Bathi stimela

Sikhalel' izihlobo zethu

Masibuyele le eTalakubayi

Sikhalel izingane zethu wololo

Masibuyele le eTalakubayi

Sikhalela macheri wethu mama oh

Masibuyele le eTalakubayi

Sikhalel' abazali bethu

Yelele yelele yelele yelele yelele

x3

Stimela

Sihamba ngamalahle

Sivel' eTalakubayi

Helele bathi Stimela mawo

Stimela

Sihamba ngamalahle

Sivel' eTalakubayi

Bathi Stimela mawo

Stimela

Sihamba ngamalahle

Sivel' eTalakubayi

Whooo whooo

x2

Stimela

Sihamba ngamalahle

Sivel' eTalakubayi

Whooo whooo