An internationally renowned South African composer has rejected a call by Nelson Mandela to apologise for the lyrics of a new song which portrays the country's Indian population as abusing black people and being more racist than whites.
A barrage of criticism has led to Mbongeni Ngema's song AmaNdiya - Zulu for "Indians" - being banned by some radio stations and record shops.
The song begins with Ngema saying that the words "represent the way many African people feel about the behaviour of the Indian people in this country", and that it is "intended to begin a constructive discussion that will lead to a true reconciliation between Indians and Africans".
But the lyrics have been interpreted as a direct assault on the Asian population.
"A brave man is required to confront the Indians," the song says.
"Indians don't want to change; even Mandela has failed to change them. White people were better - we knew it was apartheid in the quest for power."
It goes on to say that Indians are "all over parliament", and are to blame for the continuing poverty of black people in Durban, where a large number of Asians live.
"The reason we are faced with hardship and poverty in Durban is because everything was taken by the Indians. But they turn around and exploit us," the song says. "Our people are busy buying from Indians shops."
The song has provoked considerable protest, including motions in parliament. An African National Congress MP, Alfred Maphalala, said Ngema should apologise to the entire country for the "destructive and racist sentiments" of the song.
The South African human rights commission condemned the lyrics for promoting hatred, and the Anglican bishop of KwaZulu-Natal, Rubin Bishop, called for the song to be banned.
Mr Mandela, South Africa's former president, praised the lyricist for his previous work but said that the latest song was unacceptable.
"I think he can do nothing better than to apologise if he has offended anyone with racist lyrics," he said.
But Ngema has defended his lyrics by saying they merely reflect the views of black people.
"It is my role as an artist... to mirror the society and high light the plight of the people on the ground. The leadership relies on us artists to voice out issues where there is perceived oversight," he told Zulu radio.
There is little doubt that he is right in saying that many black people regard South Africa's Indians with great suspicion, believing that they benefited from apartheid and do not want to integrate.
The song is selling well and is frequently requested on those radio stations that still play it.
Indians make up only 2% of South Africa's population but they have a high profile, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, where Mahatma Gandhi once lived and which continues to have the biggest concentration of Indians.
Longstanding tension led to anti-Indian riots in Durban in the 1950s, in which dozens of people were killed.