*Title: “Empty Plates & Loud Streets”*
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Empty plates, loud streets, we marchin’ through the heat
Petrol up, bread up, but the wages stay asleep
They talk change in parliament, we feel pain at the shop
From Pretoria to Khayelitsha, hear the people say “Enough”
Empty plates, loud streets, but our voices won’t get weak
Till the hunger stops, till the lights stay on, till the future we seek[Chorus]
*[Verse 1: The Cost]*
Wake up, Eskom switch — load shedding hit again
Stage 4, stage 6, fridge warm, food goin’ to waste then
Queue for jobs at 4am, CVs in a plastic bag
Matric, degree, diploma — still no “we’ll call you back”
Taxi fare went up, but the salary didn’t move
R350 grant can’t stretch, so we fight to stay aloof
Mamas in the township cookin’ pap with less meat
Kids ask “what’s for dinner?” and the silence tastes bittersweet
_**_
Empty plates, loud streets, we marchin’ through the heat
Petrol up, bread up, but the wages stay asleep
They talk change in parliament, we feel pain at the shop
From Pretoria to Khayelitsha, hear the people say “Enough”
Empty plates, loud streets, but our voices won’t get weak
Till the hunger stops, till the lights stay on, till the future we seek[Chorus]
*[Verse 2: The March]*
See the banners in the streets: “No Food, No Peace”
Coalition talks, walkouts, promises on repeat
Ministers make speeches, but the stomachs still growl
Unemployment line long like the protest march crowd
Service delivery protests, tyres burnin’ on the tar
People want water, housing, not just speeches from afar
They say “we hear you” — but hearing don’t fill the pot
So the march keeps moving, every block, every plot
_***
Empty plates, loud streets, we marchin’ through the heat
Petrol up, bread up, but the wages stay asleep
They talk change in parliament, we feel pain at the shop
From Pretoria to Khayelitsha, hear the people say “Enough”
Empty plates, loud streets, but our voices won’t get weak
Till the hunger stops, till the lights stay on, till the future we seek[Chorus]
*[Verse 3: The Hope]*
But we South African, we built from struggle and stone
Mandela’s shadow remind us we don’t walk this road alone
Yeah we angry, yeah we tired, but we still plant seeds
Community gardens growin’ where the government don’t lead
So this ain’t just a complaint, this a call for action too
From the ballot to the boardroom, we demandin’ something new
Empty plates today, but we dreamin’ full tables soon
South Africa, rise up — we the writers of our tune
*[Outro/Chorus]*
Empty plates, loud streets… till the hunger stops.
