Mondli Makhanya: The late Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert, the great raconteur that he was, used to tell a story about a politician on the hustings.

The late Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert, the great raconteur that he was, used to tell a story about a politician on the hustings.

He would venture into the poor communities and promise all sorts of goodies. If only the people would put their crosses next to his name, the good life would be theirs.

"Do you want big houses?" he would ask.

"Oompah!" they would respond in their language's chant of excitement.

"Do you want nice roads?"

"Oompah!" would come the roar.

"Do you want more factories?"

"Oompah!" they would shout back in unison.

"Do you want nice schools for your children?"

"Oompah."

By the time his speech reached a crescendo, the crowds would be in a frenzied excitement: "Oompah! Oompah! Oompah! Oompah! Ooompah!"

With their votes in his pocket he would vanish into the corridors of government office, not to be seen until the next election. The people would be resentful about how they had been taken for a ride.

Slabbert used this story to illustrate the cynicism of politicians and how this undermined the very institution of democracy.

It is a cynicism all too common among politicians in this country.

One such politician is Johannesburg councillor Freedom Sotshantsha.

Sotshantsha- who represents the poverty-stricken Sweetwaters squatter camp, lives in a reasonably big house and drives a large Hummer which is as bright yellow as Tony Yengeni's jackets. He feels no shame about hurtling through the squalor in his shiny bright number. Or about the fact that he has been totally inept at delivering services to his community.

The condition of the squatter camp shocked President Jacob Zuma when he paid an unexpected visit this week.

"It is something you cannot describe, that human beings live in such conditions. We are taken aback to see what is meant by freedom if people still live in the manner in which they live. When I came, I thought there was no councillor here because they are supposed to help the people.

"And they say the councillor comes with the police, he shoots them. I am certainly going to be seeing the province and talking to national government ... something needs to be done."

Sotshantsha was unfazed when The Times spoke to him.

"What disturbs is this big house and Hummer story. I see nothing wrong with improving my life because I have not committed any crime. I have not committed any fraud. You can't develop your people if you can't develop yourself," he said.

Sotshantsha did not put himself in office. He was elected by the people in the belief that he was going to look after their interests and develop their community.

Today, as Zuma witnessed, those people's trust in democratic processes and institutions has been severely damaged.

There are many Sotshantshas in South Africa. They operate at national, provincial and local levels. Instead of putting their shoulders to the wheel and fulfilling their election promises, they look after themselves.

Exasperated, the people take to the barricades. They simply do not believe their voices will be heard if they follow the correct channels.

We have this seen in many townships across the country where people who most likely voted for the party in power are the very ones marching on the councillor's house or burning government buildings.

Although they are not directly revolting against the party they voted for, this is something the ANC should be worried about. If only for selfish electoral purposes.

For now the people somehow mentally separate the Sotshantshas from the ANC.

But it will not be long before the people begin to identify the party with the failed councils and dysfunctional government departments.

Next year's local government elections may just be that point. The ANC's most loyal voters may not defect to other parties in droves, but they will probably vote by staying away.

By doing so they will be saying they no longer believe that their vote is worth anything. That the institutions of government are just empty shells.

Our governors have a chance to re-instil this faith. In the next six months, the various political parties will begin their process of nominating candidates for the municipal poll.

Many Sotshantshas will put up their hands and attempt to convince the party bosses that they are prepared to serve. If they make it onto the party lists they will hit the road making "Oompah" speeches.

The challenge for political parties is to develop the ability to sift the Sotshantshas from those who genuinely want to serve and are also technically able to serve.

The parties also have to refrain from going overboard with election promises. They have to resist the temptation to delude voters with rousing "Oompah" speeches.

Otherwise our towns and cities' downward slide will accelerate, and the poor will be edged further to the margins.