With a bucket of water heavy on her head,they stopped her on the road.

Donned in their political party attire, they introduced themselves to her.

One of them, a fat bald man full of vigour explained: ” For the ruling party, you can always be sure of good service delivery, better education for your children, a job, a house and a social grant for your sustenance.

The old woman lowered her bucket on the dusty, dry ground, with hands on her hips, she vociferated, “Is that so? For how many years now? My son has been without a job for a decade. When you say better education, does it mean free education for my daughter who is struggling to further her education? Does it mean no more loadshedding and affordable electricity? Or a clinic near where I live? No more long walks for me to get there?

The man slightly taken aback, gathered the effort to respond, “You see, ma’am the thing is….”

The old woman curtailed his words. ” You see that shack there at the end of the street, that’s my humble abode . I’ve waited for that RDP that was promised to me for like forever. I have no running water in my yard. I still use a pit toilet to this day. As sickly as I am, I have to wait for hours and hours on end to get attended to and assisted in a hospital because your healthcare system is a disaster.”

One of the woman in the group tried to persuade the old woman.

“But gogo,you have to vote to see the change you want to see.”

“I have voted for years without fail and nothing has changed since. Will my voting now make any difference?”

Dead silence. Shame and uncertainty fill their eyes and they look down.

“Look around you,” said the old woman pointing her finger around. ” Do you see any changes? Or you think your party has fulfilled all the promises they made when people are still living in squalor and abject poverty?”

Still silence, no one daring to move or look in the old woman’s eyes.

“My children, promises have turned into lies. It clearly shows that our votes mean nothing to you. Voting for you is to keep you in power to continue your feeding trough for the corrupt leaders of our country and filling up their already hefty pockets while the poorest of the poor remain poor.”

The old woman sighed and said, “Will you just stand there or will you help a poor old woman carry her bucket of water to her home?”