Synopsis

Malcolm McLaren travels through Soweto and Johannesburg in a loose, documentary-style celebration of South African township life. The video combines McLaren's energetic performance with footage of local residents, musicians, dancers, street gatherings and everyday scenes. Its fast, improvised quality mirrors the song's mbaqanga-inspired rhythm, presenting Soweto as vibrant, social and creatively alive rather than through the usual images of hardship. The result is part music video, part travel document and part cultural snapshot of apartheid-era South Africa.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was made during the production period for McLaren's 1983 album "Duck Rock," which blended electronic pop with South African mbaqanga and other international styles.

• The crew reportedly spent only about 24 hours filming on the road in and around Soweto. The surviving version was never fully finished, and visible tape splices remain part of the circulating copy.

• The production took place without an official filming permit. As a result, the video was not shown on South African television at the time, when unauthorized filming in Soweto could be treated as a criminal offense.

• The footage was made with a Black South African crew and local participants, an unusual arrangement for an international pop production working in the country during apartheid.

• The song features the Mahotella Queens and draws on the fast, guitar-led mbaqanga sound associated with South African townships.

• The video received a Silver award at the New York Film and Video Festival, despite its incomplete state and limited original broadcast exposure.

• "Soweto" later became part of a wider debate over McLaren's use of South African musical material. Several songs connected with "Duck Rock" were accused of borrowing from existing recordings without proper credit or payment, leading to legal disputes and later settlements.