The plot centers on students involved in the Soweto Riots, in opposition to the implementation of Afrikaans as the language of instruction in schools. The stage version presents a school uprising similar to the Soweto uprising on June 16, 1976. A narrator introduces several characters among them the school girl activist Sarafina. Things get out of control when a policeman shoots several pupils in a classroom. Nevertheless, the musical ends with a cheerful farewell show of pupils leaving school, which takes most of act two. In the movie version Sarafina feels shame at her mother's (played by Miriam Makeba in the film) acceptance of her role as domestic servant in a white household in apartheid South Africa, and inspires her peers to rise up in protest, especially after her inspirational teacher, Mary Masombuka (played by Whoopi Goldberg in the film version) is imprisoned.
Unfortunately the movie Sarafina! is not yet available on HBO Max.
| Directing | Darrell James Roodt | Director |
| Production | David M. Thompson | Producer |
| Writing | Mbongeni Ngema | Screenplay |
| Production | Helena Spring | Executive Producer |
| Editing | Sarah Thomas | Editor |
| Production | Tania Jenkins | Line Producer |
| Art | Emilia Roux | Set Decoration |
| Editing | David Heitner | Editor |
| Art | David Barkham | Production Design |
| Writing | William Nicholson | Screenplay |
| Editing | Peter Hollywood | Editor |
| Production | Kirk D'Amico | Executive Producer |
| Sound | Stanley Myers | Music |
| Editing | Megan Gill | First Assistant Editor |
| Costume & Make-Up | Debra-Lee Davidson | Makeup Artist |
| Production | Sudhir Pragjee | Executive Producer |
| Crew | Mark Vicente | Cinematography |
| Crew | Rick Cresswell | Special Effects Coordinator |
| Sound | Nicky De Beer | Supervising Sound Editor |
| Production | Anant Singh | Producer |
| Writing | Mbongeni Ngema | Theatre Play |
| Production | Sanjeev Singh | Executive Producer |
| Directing | Graham Hickson | First Assistant Director |
