I have to vote...

On April 22, South Africans will be voting.

I'm not political by nature, in fact politics bores me. Which is dangerous. If I want change to occur, I should go make my mark. What's frustrating is that there are no candidates or political parties that even come close to being the ideal to vote for. Each one is as corrupt as the next, all they want is a slice of the pie and will promise anything to get it.

For 14 years the ANC has run this country, they've run it into the ground as far as schooling, health and public spending is concerned. As a political party, they promised many wonderful things in the first election, some of which they have achieved, others have fallen by the wayside. What they have managed to do is to tarnish their reputations as freedom fighters. They have fallen off the pedestal...and yet their support is unwavering. Why is that?

Not only is the ANC's president a man of such dubious character, but they are allowing Winnie Mandela to stand for government. While both might be of the old guard freedom fighters who kept black support going during the worst of the Apartheid era, neither one deserves to sit in government. They are both tainted with a shady recent past, Winnie Mandela almost at the end of her suspended sentence for fraud. Jacob Zuma still has no idea if he will be charged with corruption charges (which is looking all the more unlikely if news stories of the retraction of the charges is to be believed).

COPE is no better. Started by ANC stalwarts sick of the corruption within the ANC, they have the Rev Allen Boesak on their party candidate list. WTF? He is also part of the old guard, but a convicted criminal who stole money donated for disadvantaged communities. He stole from the poor for his own gain. Now that his criminal record has been expunged, he sees fit to stand for government.

These are some of the candidates of the political parties I have to vote for this April election.

If only the Independant Democrats' Patricia de Lille was standing for president. I'd seriously consider voting for her to run this country. She might be highly controversial (anyone remember her telling whites to move back to Europe as we cannot be considered true Africans?) but she tells it like it is. I think she's one of a few politicians who actually mean what they say.

So, to vote or not to vote? That is the question...