The Azapo Youth League's demand yesterday that former president Nelson Mandela apologise for selling out blacks during negotiated settlement talks highlights the way black people have been used politically over the years ("Mandela sold out black people's struggle - Azapo youth") .

From the onset, the ANC has fuelled the notion that it will bring change by making promises it has never kept. Initially, it was houses. Later it was jobs. Currently, the carrot of improved healthcare and land redistribution are being bandied about. No one has mentioned improved education yet - perhaps that's the promise for the next election.

Instead of making promises we have no intention of keeping, we should empower people to solve their own problems to whatever degree they can. Some already do this. While there's no route to easy wealth (unless you're a politician), at least you won't wait for wealth to fall from the sky, or blame others when it does not.