- Martha Baloyi, 78, from Stinkwater in Hammanskraal, says politicians have promised her a house for years but never delivered.
- The elderly woman was injured when her house collapsed 10 years ago and now lives alone in a crumbling structure.
For more than 30 years, Martha Baloyi has voted in every election, hoping that one day she will finally get a decent house.
But at 78, the grandmother from Stinkwater in Hammanskraal is still waiting.
Martha has lived in the area since 1991 and says politicians have been promising her a house for years.
Every election brings fresh promises, but once the votes have been counted, she says the politicians disappear without helping her.
Ten years ago, her house collapsed on top of her, leaving her injured.
She now lives alone in a small, crumbling structure and depends on her old-age pension to survive.
Despite what happened to her, she has still not received the house she has been waiting for.
The African National Congress has governed the area for years, but Martha says people in her section are still waiting for government-built houses.
She said politicians regularly visit her home during election campaigns and promise to help her.
But she has yet to see those promises turn into action.
“They always come during election time and promise me a house, but after the elections, nothing happens. I have been waiting for years. This time, my vote is my secret. I am hoping for change,” said Martha.
On Wednesday, 4 November, she went to a voting station near her home to cast her ballot in the local government elections.
She would not say which party she voted for.
What matters most to her is finding a safe place to live.
After being injured when her previous house collapsed, Martha wants a home where she no longer has to worry about the condition of the building.
She has spent decades waiting for that change while living on the money she receives from her pension.
For Martha, another election has come, but the problem she has faced for years remains the same.
She has cast her vote once again, hoping that this time the promises of a better life will lead to a home she can live in safely.
