The face of a well-known politician stares at us from one of the lamp posts on the platform; promising change will come.

Nothing has changed for Metrorail. Their clock is on a different setting to the rest of the country. To the dismay of many commuters the 7h10 train is cancelled. The face on the pole is unmoved; not even a sympathetic smile. Fortunately the 7h20 train arrives on time and with the 7h10 commuters on board, carriages are bursting at the seams.

In the middle of the chaos three guys are having a conversation trying very hard to remain composed in the overcrowded carriage.

They represent the free generation.

“Are you going to vote?” one of the guys asks with his eyes going from right to left waiting for a reply.

“This is going to be my first time but I’m not really interested,” one of the friends reply.

“How can you say that your vote counts buddy? You have a say in matters when you cast your vote,” the guy who raised the question says with a serious tone in his voice.

“Aagh man, chill; don’t be so serious; politicians are opportunists man,” the guy defends himself.

“My family has hectic discussions around the dinner table concerning politics. My mom and dad were both activists during the struggle but they are not forcing my sister and I to share their affiliation.”

“We are entitled to our own opinions and at times we differ and have strong views which we fight over,” the third guy says.

People standing close are listening in silence to the three young lads.

“South Africa is a great country with even greater potential and that’s the reason we deserve leadership who want to take the country to greater heights,” the first guy says again.

“Now you see that’s the reason I don’t know who to vote for. Leaders lack integrity, vision, wisdom and servant-hood,” the first-time voter starts saying.

He however gets interrupted by the first guy before he could complete the sentence.

“That’s the reason you should vote. You need to in order to give someone a chance to prove himself. It’s only a five year cycle. If they don’t deliver then you give someone else a chance; no loyalty required.”

“Now my folks are struggling with that idea. They are loyalists and I don’t agree. They are actually not making it easy on me because their argument is that they would rather abstain from voting. I’m looking at them for guidance but I guess times have changed therefore I’m on my own political journey.”

“But you know who you’re going to vote for?” the guy who started the conversation asks quickly.
“Yes,” the answer comes even quicker.

“Look here guys, the future of this country is in our hands. Just like generations before brought about change we have the power to determine what is best for this country by means of our vote.”

“Don’t take this lightly. We can’t be the ones causing Nelson Mandela to turn in his grave.”

The two friends nod in approval.

At Mutual station a wave of commuters force their way out of the carriage onto the platform where a different face is smiling from the lamp post.