The adversarial discourse around South African politics has finally reached a crescendo. In fact, as election day drew closer and closer, many in positions of influence and leadership became increasingly reckless in their utterances. All this while political killings continued and prophets of doom (with tickets to Australia, New Zealand or the United Kingdom in hand) predicted the worst.

Now that the voters have spoken, the scramble for positions of influence and access to resources is well underway. Still full of arrogance and leech-like mentality politicians posture, argue, threaten and barter, all while pretending to have our best interests at heart.

As I read Dare Not Linger by Nelson Mandela and Mandla Langa, I’m reminded of just how much the circumstances have changed for the African National Congress and those on the opposition benches. Meanwhile, political parties that once vowed to remove the ANC from power are now tripping over each other to join the so-called Government of National Unity (negotiations and public mudslinging suggests anything but “national unity”).

While those elected by and appointed to represent the people squabble, flex and call countless press conferences, I wonder why they haven’t put their respective politicl party policies and agendas aside and agree on key cornerstone principles that will take our beloved country forward. Suspend the politics. Crush the egos. Cut the divisive toxic rhetoric. What is best for our children? After all, this country belongs to them. We are merely custodians.

By the way, to those who have accused rural and working class South Africans of blind loyalty to the political home of Oliver Tambo and Walter Sisulu -the suggestion being that the majority of South Africans are politically stupid and therefore incapable of bringing about real change- the latest national election results prove otherwise.

Dear politicians, we have not forgotten the decades of empty promises and blatant lies. We remember the faces of those who flip-flopped over the years, depending on what suited their political agenda. We remember the names of those who have been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. We are well aware of those who repeatedly defended our poor education system and failing public healthcare, while their offspring attended exorbitant private schools and they went overseas for medical treatment. We are not blind to your shenanigans.

Many of us have only one home, Mzansi. We cannot afford nor do we wish to live anywhere else but here. As we stand at yet another crossroads, with an opportunity to redeem ourselves, we once again caution and remind our politicians to serve the citizens of this breathtaking land with dignity, accountability, transparency, humility and patriotism. At every turn may you ask yourselves: What is in the best interests of South Africans?

By the time this piece is published, the dust may have settled a little, but the greed, corruption and exploitative attitude of those at the levers of power will probably still linger. We have once again, as a country, been afforded an opportunity to turn this ship around, and once again be a leading light in the world. It’s an opportunity to attend to the healing of old festering historic wounds and start healing from within. Politicians, the ball is in your court.