Author name: Scott Balson

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 […]

ActionSA’s Athol Trollip offered a measured but pointed assessment of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday evening, acknowledging the speech was “better than expected” while accusing the President of failing to take accountability for the decay of local government. Speaking to journalists immediately following the address at the Cape

Economic Freedom Fighters leader says President lacks capacity to govern, accuses him of rehashing old promises Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema delivered a blistering assessment of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday, offering rare praise for the deployment of the South African National Defence Force while dismissing the remainder

In the wake of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA), political party leaders have begun dissecting the economic substance behind the rhetoric. Songezo Zibi, leader of RISE Mzansi, welcomed the positive fiscal indicators highlighted in the address but struck a cautious tone, reserving final judgment until the national budget is tabled.

Police and private security personnel were forced to fire rubber bullets to disperse protesting students at Nelson Mandela University’s Summerstrand campus in Gqeberha on Monday, as tensions over funding and registration boiled over. Students barricaded the main entrance with burning tyres and debris, disrupting access to the campus in the Eastern Cape. The protest stems

United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader General Bantu Holomisa has confirmed that the Department of Defence is ready to deploy soldiers to gang-ravaged areas within two weeks, following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s directive outlined in the 2026 State of the Nation Address. Speaking in an interview immediately following SONA 2026, Holomisa — who serves as deputy minister

National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza has pushed back against criticism that the State of the Nation Address (SONA) is merely an expensive political spectacle, insisting the R7 million price tag reflects critical infrastructure requirements for the national event. Speaking in an interview ahead of Thursday evening’s address at Cape Town City Hall, Didiza addressed concerns

The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) has delivered a blistering assessment of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA), labeling the parliamentary event a “waste of R7 million” and accusing the President of recycling failed economic policies. Speaking to the media immediately following the address at the Cape Town City Hall, MKP

Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie has lavished praise on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA), describing it as the president’s strongest delivery to date and pushing back against criticism from other Government of National Unity partners. Speaking to journalists at the parliamentary precinct shortly after the address, McKenzie offered his immediate

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has convened an urgent Thought Leadership Seminar in Bloemfontein, gathering government officials, journalists, researchers, and civil society to confront what it describes as a systemic threat to the upcoming Local Government Elections: the rapid spread of digital misinformation. A representative from the Government Communication and Information System delivered a stark