Well, we are left with less than two weeks before casting our votes. Recently, there have been protests in several places across the country, such as the Alexandra shutdown.

Some of the shutdowns and protests were against corruption, nepotism, job losses, lack of basic service delivery, privatisation and so on.

We also witnessed some organisers of such shutdowns and marches encouraging their followers not to participate in the upcoming elections because their demands fell on deaf ears.

Community members also voiced their frustrations and anger, saying they are not going to the polls because they are being taken for a ride by politicians who only take them seriously during the election period.

As citizens, it would be wrong not to participate in the upcoming national and provincial elections.

During the apartheid period, some of our leaders were incarcerated, tortured and murdered while fighting for the constitutional right to vote. It can't be correct and sound when those who fought for such rights see us confined to our homes during elections.

Abstaining or recusing ourselves from voting is not the answer. I am not fully convinced that the challenges we face will be solved by staying away on election day. It is true that there are some areas where our leaders failed us but at the same time, there are also good things achieved.

This year we are going into the elections celebrating 25 years of democracy. During every election, we often have international observers coming into our country in order to observe the election process.

It is our responsibility as South Africans, including political party leaders, to ensure that we abide by the Electoral Act and ensure free and fair elections.

On 8 May 2019 I am appealing to every South African, irrespective of our individual ideological perspectives, to go into our respective voting stations in large numbers and exercise our democratic right - and vote.

Mogau Victor Sebatana, Mogalakwena, Limpopo