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Politics is often dismissed as something divisive, or at best, left to politicians. Many South Africans say they are not interested in politics. They would rather focus on their families, their businesses, their careers and their daily lives.

But the truth is simple: whether you are interested in politics or not, politics is interested in you.

Politics determines the quality of the schools our children attend. It influences whether our hospitals have medicines, whether our police stations have the resources to fight crime, whether our municipalities deliver basic services and whether our economy creates jobs.

Politics determines how our taxes are spent, how our borders are managed and what kind of country we will leave behind for future generations.

That is why I have always believed that politics matters. I have also learned that one of the greatest dangers in politics is the fear of speaking about difficult issues.

On 1 December 2016, I publicly raised concerns about the negative impact of illegal immigration on South Africa. At the time, speaking openly about this issue was met with fierce criticism. The African National Congress and other organisations even went to the extent of taking the matter to the South African Human Rights Commission.

I stood by my position, and I ultimately won the case. The significance of that moment went beyond me as an individual. It was about the fundamental principle that South Africans must be able to debate the challenges facing their country openly and honestly.

Today, we have seen the emergence of organisations such as March and March and Operation Dudula, among others, reflecting growing frustration among ordinary South Africans about illegal immigration, unemployment, crime and the pressure on public services.

Whether one agrees with these organisations or not, their emergence tells us something important: when political leaders refuse to address legitimate concerns, those concerns do not simply disappear. They grow.

People become frustrated when they feel that nobody is listening. They become angry when they believe that their government is ignoring their lived experiences. And when mainstream political parties fail to provide credible solutions, others will inevitably step into that vacuum.

This is precisely why politics matters. We cannot afford a politics where difficult questions are avoided because they are uncomfortable. We need political leaders who are prepared to confront the realities facing our country, even when those realities are politically inconvenient.

Confronting these issues must also be done responsibly. South Africa needs a government that can secure our borders, enforce our immigration laws and ensure that those who are in the country illegally are dealt with according to the law. At the same time, we must remain a constitutional democracy that respects human dignity and the rule of law.

There is no contradiction between having strong borders and being a country that respects human rights. There is also no contradiction between putting South Africans first in government policy and treating every person with dignity.

What we need is competent leadership that can do both. The same applies to almost every major challenge facing South Africa.

We cannot address unemployment without confronting the failures of our education system and our economic policies. We cannot fight crime without confronting the collapse of policing and the corruption that has weakened our criminal justice system.

We cannot fix municipalities without dealing decisively with corruption, cadre deployment, incompetence and political interference. We cannot attract investment while electricity remains unreliable, infrastructure deteriorates and the rule of law is weakened.

These are political questions. And because they are political questions, we need citizens who are politically engaged.

Voting once every five years is not enough. Democracy requires active citizens who hold their elected representatives accountable. It requires people who attend community meetings, ask questions, challenge poor governance and demand transparency.

Most importantly, it requires citizens to understand that political parties are not the property of politicians. They belong to the people who vote for them.

South Africans must stop believing that they have no power. We have power. We have the power to vote. We have the power to organise. We have the power to speak. We have the power to hold leaders accountable.

We have the power to remove leaders who fail us. That is why I entered politics.

I did not enter politics because I believed it would be easy. I entered politics because I understood that complaining from the sidelines would not change the direction of our country.

South Africa is too important to be left to politicians who have become comfortable with failure. We need citizens who are willing to participate in the political process and leaders who understand that public office is a responsibility, not a privilege.

Our country faces enormous challenges, but I remain convinced that South Africa can succeed.

We have a vibrant democracy. We have talented people. We have entrepreneurs, workers, professionals and young people with extraordinary potential.

What we need is political leadership with the courage to make difficult decisions, the competence to implement them and the integrity to put the interests of the country ahead of personal or party political interests.

Politics matters because leadership matters. Politics matters because governance matters. Politics matters because our children's future matters.

If good people withdraw from politics, they leave the space open for those who are willing to use political power for the wrong reasons.

That is why I encourage every South African to take an interest in politics. Do not simply complain about the state of the country.

Ask yourself what you can do to change it. Get involved. Ask difficult questions. Demand accountability. Vote.

And, if necessary, enter the political arena yourself. Because ultimately, the future of South Africa will not be determined by those who sit on the sidelines.

It will be determined by those who are willing to stand up, participate and take responsibility for the country we want to build.

Politics matters. South Africa matters. And our future is too important to leave to chance.

Issued by ActionSA Joburg Mayoral candidate Herman Mashaba