The true cost of elections: A mother’s struggle

If you ever want to hear the real burdens of any nation, listen to the toils of the mothers who speak of their struggles.

And with the “life-changing” elections behind us, mothers in my circles all say the same thing: the price of bread remains so high, the cost of living is crippling and the uphill climb of daily living continues.

Election fatigue definitely had the best of us. We are eager for change, but knowing and understanding the political modus operandi of fairy tales sold, year in and year out; of jobs reserved for pals and family.

Post-elections that leave the layman without work on the periphery of needing and wanting, food becoming an elite luxury; the lies and fear of more lies being told outweighed the belief that change was/is within reach. We’ve danced to this tune before and our feet are all jazzed out.

This being said, what do elections mean to a mother barely surviving? To a child whose mother must borrow from Peter to pay Paul; whatever does it all mean?

While politicians chant “mabahambe” (let them go), or that together we can do more, a job in every home, the poverty has become a permanent resident in homes tells us to scream for provision to do more than just survive.

ALSO READ: ANC rubbishes ‘fake’ DA and IFP coalition memo

I have heard women say that elections are for the rich, their bread-and-butter issues do not meet the “agenda” for politicians – this is just heartbreaking.

May the new coalition government not be above the dynamics of homes wrapped in poverty, mothers who file lines in courts demonstrating their poverty and children who carry the hunger of their homes like a hangover on a Monday morning as their everyday baggage.

May the ones who occupy seats of change bring and be the change that is ever so desperately needed.

A passionate plea is that may the lining of their pockets not be their goal but something for them to deviate from that they forget that children, women, men – humans are starving.

As a natural optimist, I am one who believes that better days always come. That the worst is slowly clearing from our future and that the dreams of the rainbow nation will come to be.

It is my hope and belief, it is similarly the hopes and dreams of those who spoke in unison and said, as women they have starved for far too long.

ALSO READ: Property sector expected to rebound post-elections

This has to be their time.