This Is Politics SA Podcast

Justice Malala and Mondli Makhanya unpack the growing crisis at the heart of South Africa’s criminal justice system. From explosive allegations of political interference in policing to the stark contrast between the Madalanga Commission and Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee, this episode asks a critical question: are we still in control — or is the system slipping away? As evidence of deep-rooted corruption emerges, the implications for safety, accountability, and the future of South Africa have never been more urgent.

South Africa has had its Budget Speech and State of the Nation Address. Now the real question is: what kind of world are we governing in?

Justice Malala and Mondli Makhanya unpack the widening war involving Israel, Iran and the United States and what the open embrace of assassinations, regime change and brute force means for international law. Is the rules-based global order collapsing? If the bully wins, what stops other powers from doing the same?

They examine the implications for Ukraine, Sudan and the African continent and ask what this era of “might makes right” means for South Africa’s foreign policy and moral standing.

From global war to global disorder this episode asks a difficult question:

If there are no rules anymore, who holds power accountable?

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South Africa’s water crisis is no longer just about leaking pipes — it has become a story about governance, accountability and power. In this episode, Justice Malala and Mondli Makhanya unpack the collapse of water infrastructure in Johannesburg and beyond, revisit the failed “war on leaks” interventions, and examine President Ramaphosa’s growing list of task teams. They explore why Johannesburg could become the central political battleground in the upcoming local elections, reflect on Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s delayed budget speech, and draw lessons from Donald Trump’s clash with the U.S. Supreme Court about the importance of the rule of law. From leaking pipes to constitutional power struggles, the conversation confronts a deeper question: who is actually in charge? Subscribe for sharp South African political analysis every week.

South Africa is facing a moment of reckoning.

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers his State of the Nation Address — but will deploying the army solve crime? Or is the real crisis inside the police service itself?

Justice Malala and Mondli Makhanya unpack:

The deployment of the SANDF into gang-ridden communities

Corruption within SAPS

The collapse of water infrastructure in Johannesburg and Soshanguve

Ramaphosa’s growing list of committees

The Khampepe Commission and the fight for justice for apartheid victims

The moral crisis facing the ANC

Marco Rubio’s Munich speech and the rise of MAGA-style politics

From water riots to apartheid-era cover-ups — this is a country at a crossroads.

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South Africa heads into the State of the Nation Address at a precarious moment. In this episode of This Is Politics, Justice Malala and Mondli Makhanya unpack what SONA is meant to represent —and why it often falls short. From economic drift, water crises and youth unemployment to the tensions inside the GNU and the Democratic Alliance’s internal rupture, this is a sober, unsparing look at where the country really stands and what leadership must confront now.