EFF mourns death of ‘queen of soul’ Aretha Franklin

The Economic Freedom Fighters joined millions of people around the world in mourning the death of the “queen of soul” Aretha Franklin on Thursday.

“Soul music‚ to which she (Franklin) was queen‚ had to do with the very urban black experience of African Americans deprived of pride and humanity under the United States systematic racism from the 1950s‚” the party said.

“It is soul music‚ precisely because anti-black racism’s claim is that blacks are animals without a soul. Soul music is an absolute rebuttal to that entire colonial and slavery archive whose essence is anti-black.”

Franklin‚ who won 18 Grammys and had some 25 gold records‚ died at her home in Detroit‚ Michigan. Franklin leaves a legacy of hits such as Respect and Chain of Fools.

Earlier this week CNN‚ reported that Aretha was in hospice care at her home‚ where she was being looked after by health professionals‚ friends and family.

A report by the Mirror UK said the star was in "the final stages of a devastating eight-year battle with pancreatic cancer" and was receiving around the clock treatment.

The EFF said it considered soul music as “one of the greatest sounds invented by a people under the yoke of racial humiliation”.

“She (Franklin) was also one of the central artists who took a stand against apartheid and rallied for the release of political prisoners in South Africa. Thus‚ we join in saying a little prayer for Mama Franklin‚ that her soul may rest in the same proud soul that her soul music gave to humanity in general.”

Former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela tweeted: “Thank you for the music Aretha Franklin. It inspired and gave confidence to many‚ particularly women. Heartfelt condolences to the family‚ friends and colleagues.”