Johannesburg – South Africa’s Deputy President Shipokosa Paul Mashatile addressed congregants at the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) Amandla Ngawethu Good Friday service on 3 April 2026 at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg. The event brought together church leaders, government officials, and members of the African National Congress.
Mashatile opened by reflecting on his Christian upbringing, noting that his father was a Bishop and that he had served as a church secretary and Sunday school teacher. “These foundations shaped my values, my understanding of service, and my respect for the role of the church in society,” he said.
He turned to the state of local government, acknowledging challenges in service delivery. “In many communities, infrastructure is deteriorating, services are unreliable, and trust in local leadership has been weakened,” he said. Mashatile said government is committed to practical, ethical, and leadership renewal at the local level and stressed that success depends on collaboration with churches, communities, and social partners. 
Central to this renewal, he said, is ethical and capable leadership rooted in communities. “Leaders who resonate with the people and who work with communities to solve problems. Local government must once again become responsive, credible, and people centered,” Mashatile added.
Linking his message to Good Friday, he drew parallels between the sacrifice of Jesus and national renewal. “Through sacrifice came redemption; through suffering came restoration; through death came new life. This message speaks directly to our national renewal,” he said, urging South Africans to confront poverty, unemployment, corruption, Gender Based Violence, and family breakdowns with moral clarity and collective effort.
He also called for the renewal of families as the foundation of resilient communities. “Your theme, ‘The Family at the Foot of the Cross,’ calls us to renew the family as the first site of care, discipline, and healing,” Mashatile said. He underscored the church’s role as a moral compass and a source of guidance and hope, particularly for women and youth.
He concluded by calling on congregants to pray for the renewal of hearts, leadership, communities, and the nation, extending the prayer to peace across South Africa, Africa, and the world. “On this Good Friday, may we leave here renewed in purpose, committed to service, and united in action to build a better South Africa,” Mashatile said.
Program directors Bishop Marcelo Pires, Mrs Pires, Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness Faith Mazibuko, Deputy Mayor of Johannesburg Loyiso Masuku, Deputy Minister for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Steve Letsike, and ANC leaders including Bathabile Dlamini and Winnie Ngwenya attended the service.
