We want a better deal than Rocky got

Rocky, our family dog, has been banned from the local liquor store.

It all happened last week, when he jumped into the car for a fun ride when I drove over to the bottle store for a sixpack of the non-alcoholic beer the lovely Snapdragon and I like so much.

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At the liquor store, he insisted to come along and I put him under my arm.

At the cashier, however, an important employee of the shop – dressed in a tie and jacket – approached and gave me a stern talking to for bringing the little beast into the shop.

I pointed out that there is no notice at the door saying tiny dogs are prohibited from entering. I told him that there is no law against shivering little dogs in liquor stores.

I once owned a liquor store and dogs sitting on their owner’s arm were more than welcome. But then again, I never wore a tie and jacket.

But he insisted: “Don’t ever allow him to come in here again.”

His banishment didn’t bother him in the least. He hates the walk-in fridge, because it makes him shiver.

And being a canine teetotaller, there is nothing in the store that tickles his fancy. He rewarded the liquor store man with a toothy grin.

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A lot of other South Africans, however, are banned from a lot of things in our society and it bothers them.

It bothers me. Jobs, good housing, education… the list goes on.

We are the most unequal society in the world and very little seems to have changed over the past 30 years.

I expect uncle Cyril to make an announcement about this year’s general election in the coming week or two.

Of course, we shouldn’t wait for elections twice in a decade to make ourselves heard.

And, of course, during an election year we often hear farfetched promises, such as load shedding being history, as we were told during the recent Sona.

I can’t tell you who to vote for this year, dear reader. But I can ask you to make sure that you are there to make your cross behind the party of your choice.

This is a watershed election. This is our best chance in recent history to open the doors for our fellow South Africans.

They deserve a better deal than the one little Rocky received.