African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) leader Reverend Kenneth Meshoe has cautiously welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s commitment to prioritising organised crime following the release of the State of the Nation Address (SONA) for 2026, but warned that public confidence in the justice system will not be restored until the so-called “pala pala shadow” is addressed.
Speaking in a post-SONA interview, Meshoe said the president must be given the “benefit of the doubt” regarding his pledge to crack down on criminal networks. He expressed support for the prospect that individuals implicated in the findings of the Madlanga Commission will face legal consequences.
“Whatever has come out of the Madlanga Commission, the people who have been accused of wrongdoing, they will have the law dealing against them, which the ACDP welcomes,” Meshoe said.
The Madlanga Commission—formally the State Capture Commission—was chaired by Acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo and concluded its work several years ago, making extensive findings of state capture and corruption. In his address, Ramaphosa said restoring faith in the justice system was a central aim of his administration.
Meshoe, however, questioned whether such confidence could be rebuilt while questions linger over a 2020 incident during which members of the ruling party’s parliamentary caucus reportedly chanted “pala pala”—a phrase interpreted by critics as a call for then-public works minister Thulas Nxesi to physically confront then-deputy minister of finance David Masondo.
“It will not be restored for as long as the pala pala shadow is hanging over him,” Meshoe said, adding: “Something has to be done to prove to the public that we are all equal before the law.”
Despite his criticisms, the ACDP leader commended the president on several points in the address, notably his focus on expanding technical and vocational education.
“The fact that he also raised the issue of building more TVET colleges and universities because he wants people to be skilled is something that is commendable,” Meshoe said. “We want to commend him for that.”
Meshoe also voiced approval for Ramaphosa’s change of position on deploying the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to assist police in combating gang violence in the Western Cape—a long-standing request from provincial authorities.
“He has agreed finally, something that he didn’t want to do—the SANDF connecting or assisting the police to fight gang violence in the Western Cape in particular,” Meshoe said. “I think that is a very good step in the right direction, and the ACDP welcomes this.”
Ramaphosa’s address, delivered against a backdrop of high unemployment and persistent infrastructure challenges, has drawn mixed reactions from opposition parties. While some have praised the focus on economic reforms, others have accused the president of failing to deliver decisive action on corruption.