View source for Kenneth Meshoe

{{Short description|South African politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Use South African English|date=October 2013}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = 
| name             = Kenneth Meshoe
| honorific_suffix = [[Parliament of South Africa|MP]]
| image           = File:K Meshoe Toronto 2013.png
| alt             = 
| caption         = Kenneth Meshoe in 2013
| office1         =Leader of the [[African Christian Democratic Party]]
| term_start1     = 9 December 1993
| term_end1       = 
| predecessor1    = ''Position established''
| status1         = 
| successor1      = 
| prior_term      = 
| office2         = Member of the [[National Assembly of South Africa]]
| term_start2     = 9 May 1994
| term_end2       = 
| predecessor2    = 
| status2         = 
| successor2      = 
| birth_name      = Kenneth Rasalabe Joseph Meshoe
| birth_date      =  {{Birth date and age|1954|01|18|df=y}}
| birth_place     = [[Pretoria]], [[Union of South Africa|South Africa]]
| death_date      =  <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| death_place     = 
| death_cause     = 
| resting_place   = 
| resting_place_coordinates = 
| citizenship     = 
| nationality     = [[South Africa]]n
| party           =  [[African Christian Democratic Party]]
| otherparty      =  <!--For additional political affiliations-->
| height          =  <!-- "X cm", "X m"  or "X ft Y in" plus optional reference (conversions are automatic) -->
| spouse          = {{marriage|Lydia Meshoe|1976|2023|end=d.}}
| partner         =  <!--For those with a domestic partner and not married-->
| relations       = 
| children        = 3 
| parents         =  <!-- overrides mother and father parameters -->
| mother          =  <!-- may be used (optionally with father parameter) in place of parents parameter (displays "Parent(s)" as label) -->
| father          =  <!-- may be used (optionally with mother parameter) in place of parents parameter (displays "Parent(s)" as label) -->
| relatives       = 
| residence       = 
| education       = 
| alma_mater      = [[University of the North]]
| occupation      = Member of Parliament
| profession      = Politician
| known_for       = 
| salary          = 
| net_worth       =  <!-- Net worth should be supported with a citation from a reliable source -->
| cabinet         = 
| committees      =  Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation
| portfolio       = 
| awards          =  <!-- For civilian awards - appears as "Awards" if |mawards= is not set -->
}}
'''Kenneth Rasalabe Joseph Meshoe''' (born 18 January 1954) is a South African [[Evangelism|evangelist]], politician, reverend and teacher. He has been serving as the inaugural leader of the [[African Christian Democratic Party]], a [[Christian democracy|Christian democratic]] political party, since 1993. He became a Member of Parliament in 1994 and has since been re-elected five times. He is one of the longest-serving MPs.

==Early life, education and career==
Meshoe was born on 18 January 1954 in [[Pretoria]], South Africa. He matriculated from high school in 1972 and went on to study at the [[University of the North]] where he obtained a Secondary Teachers Diploma in 1975. He then proceeded to work as a teacher for the next few years.<ref name="TSA">{{cite web |title=Political Leader: Kenneth Meshoe, African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) |url=https://elections.thesouthafrican.com/political-leaders/political-leader-kenneth-meshoe-african-christian-democratic-party-acdp/ |website=The South African |access-date=27 March 2020}}</ref>

He and his wife, Lydia, joined the [[Christ for all Nations]] in 1976. In February 1980, he found employment as one of [[Reinhard Bonnke]]'s associate evangelists. He completed his second-year Theological Diploma at the [[Shekinah Bible Institute]] in [[Kingsport]] in the US state of [[Tennessee]] in 1987.<ref name="TSA" />

He established his church, the Hope of Glory Tabernacle, in 1988, when he returned to South Africa.<ref name="TSA" /> In 1994, the Bethel Christian College of [[Riverside, California]], awarded him an Honorary Doctorate (Doctor of Humane Letters). He was also appointed to serve as an Associate Member on the Board of Regents of Bethel College.

==Political career==
[[File:Rev. Kenneth Meshoe MP.jpg|150px|left|thumb|Meshoe in 2019]]
Meshoe established the ACDP in December 1993. The party competed in the [[1994 South African general election|1994 general elections]] and won two seats in the newly established [[National Assembly of South Africa|National Assembly]]. Meshoe filled one of the seats.<ref name="TSA" />

The party's support peaked in the [[2004 South African general election|2004 general election]] when it won seven parliamentary seats and representation in six provincial legislatures. Meshoe was consequently re-elected as an MP. After the 2004 election, the ACDP started to decline in each election.<ref name="TSA" /> The party managed to arrest the decline in the [[2019 South African general election|2019 general election]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gous |first1=Nico |title=ANC in clear lead, DA slips, EFF and FF+ grow: Election results taking shape |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2019-05-10-anc-in-clear-lead-da-slips-eff-and-ff-grow-election-results-taking-shape/ |access-date=27 March 2020 |agency=TimesLIVE |date=10 May 2019}}</ref> Meshoe is currently serving his sixth term as an MP.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ndenze |first1=Babalo |title=Opposition parties congratulate President Ramaphosa, Malema gives warning |url=https://ewn.co.za/2019/05/23/opposition-parties-congratulate-president-ramaphosa-malema-gives-warning |access-date=27 March 2020 |newspaper=EWN |date=23 May 2019}}</ref> He is a member of the Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation |url=https://www.parliament.gov.za/committee-details/151 |website=Parliament of South Africa |access-date=27 March 2020}}</ref>

===Political positions===
Meshoe voted against the adoption of the final version of the [[South African constitution]] in 1996.<ref>{{cite web |title=acdp – media – speech by K R Meshoe – 05/96 |url=https://www.justice.gov.za/legislation/constitution/history/MEDIA/ACDP.PDF |website=justice.gov.za |quote=A number of clauses that were promoted and endorsed by other political parties, which we as the ACDP feel undermine biblical principles, have been included in this document. Consequently we are forced to vote against it.}}</ref> He also opposes abortion.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Janse van Rensburg |first1=Alet |title=The time has come for a godly government – ACDP's Meshoe |url=https://www.news24.com/elections/news/the-time-has-come-for-a-godly-government-acdps-meshoe-20190418 |access-date=27 March 2020 |newspaper=Elections'19 – News24 |date=19 April 2019}}</ref> He voted against the legalisation of [[same-sex marriage in South Africa]].<ref>[https://www.parliament.gov.za/storage/app/media/Docs/hansard/50789_1.doc Tuesday, 14 November 2006. Proceedings of the National Assembly]. Retrieved 27 March 2020</ref>

Meshoe has voiced support for the previous DA mayor of [[Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality]], [[Athol Trollip]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/2001163/acdps-meshoe-slams-da-arrogance-after-trollip-removed-by-racists/|title=ACDP’s Meshoe slams DA 'arrogance' after Trollip removed by 'racists'|last=Friedman|first=Daniel|website=The Citizen|language=en|access-date=2019-01-09}}</ref> He has also spoken out on the issue of farm murders.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.polity.org.za/article/afriforum-in-australia-to-highlight-farm-murders-in-sa-2018-10-15|title=AfriForum in Australia to highlight farm murders in SA|website=Polity.org.za|access-date=2019-01-09}}</ref>

Meshoe has voiced support for the State of Israel,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.polity.org.za/article/reinstate-ambassador-to-israel-sa-christians-2018-07-25|title=Reinstate ambassador to Israel – "SA Christians"|website=Polity.org.za|access-date=2019-01-09}}</ref> arguing against [[Israel and apartheid|claims]] that [[Israel]] is an [[apartheid]] state, calling such accusations "slanderous" and "deceptive". According to Meshoe, these claims trivialise the word apartheid, and belittle the magnitude of the racism and suffering endured by non-white South Africans during the apartheid era.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=se5xTh8uwyo |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/se5xTh8uwyo |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=European Reporter Questions South African Member of Parliament on Israeli Apartheid Charge|via=YouTube|publisher=IIACF|access-date=13 March 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Meshoe married [[Lydia Meshoe]] in 1976, with whom he went on to have three children, including [[Olga Meshoe Washington]].<ref name="news obit">{{cite web | last=Hofmeyer | first=Marina | title=Rest in peace: A tribute to Olga Meshoe Washington | website=JOY! News | date=2025-01-07 | url=https://joynews.co.za/rest-in-peace-a-tribute-to-olga-meshoe-washington/ | access-date=2025-01-08}}</ref> Meshoe and Lydia renewed their vows in 2016. Lydia had previously served as a representative of the ACDP in the [[Gauteng Provincial Legislature]].<ref>{{cite news |title=ACDP couple still in love after 40 years |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2016-10-17-acdp-couple-still-in-love-after-40-years/ |access-date=27 March 2020 |newspaper=TimesLIVE |date=17 October 2016}}</ref> On 25 January 2023, the ACDP announced that Lydia had died.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-25 |title=ACDP leader's wife has passed away |url=https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/acdp-leaders-wife-has-passed-away/ |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=SABC News |language=en-US}}</ref> Reverend Meshoe remarried Wonkie Ncoco, a former ANC MP in 2024.

Meshoe underwent a [[COVID-19]] test on 22 March 2020 after he participated in a religious gathering in the Free State with five infected international guests.<ref>{{cite web |title=ACDP leader Kenneth Meshoe tested for coronavirus |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/acdp-leader-kenneth-meshoe-tested-for-coronavirus-45370006 |website=IOL |access-date=22 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=ACDP leader Kenneth Meshoe tests positive for COVID-19 |url=https://ewn.co.za/2020/03/27/acdp-leader-kenneth-meshoe-tests-positive-for-covid-19 |access-date=27 March 2020 |newspaper=EWN |date=27 March 2020}}</ref> The ACDP deputy leader [[Wayne Thring]] announced on 27 March that Meshoe and fellow ACDP MP [[Steven Swart]] had tested positive for the virus. Meshoe did not show any symptoms, while Swart experienced flu-like symptoms. They were the first South African MPs to test positive for the virus.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Thring |first1=Wayne |title=ACDP statement on COVID 19 test results of Rev Kenneth Meshoe and Steve Swart MP |url=https://www.acdp.org.za/2020/03/27/acdp-statement-on-covid-19-test-results-of-rev-kenneth-meshoe-and-steve-swart-mp/ |website=ACDP |access-date=27 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Madia |first1=Tshidi |title=Coronavirus in SA: ACDP’s Kenneth Meshoe and Steve Swart test positive |url=https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/coronavirus-in-sa-acdps-kenneth-meshoe-and-steve-swart-test-positive-20200327 |access-date=27 March 2020 |newspaper=News24 |date=27 March 2020}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20200327180659/https://www.parliament.gov.za/person-details/214 Rev Kenneth Raselabe Joseph Meshoe – Parliament of South Africa]
* {{People's Assembly (South Africa)|kenneth-raselabe-joseph-meshoe| Kenneth Meshoe}}

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{{s-bef|before=''Position established''}}
{{s-ttl|title=Leader of the [[African Christian Democratic Party]]|years=1993–present}}
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{{Current MPs of South Africa}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Meshoe, Kenneth}}
[[Category:Politicians from Pretoria]]
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:African Christian Democratic Party politicians]]
[[Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2004–2009]]
[[Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2009–2014]]
[[Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2014–2019]]
[[Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2024–2029]]
[[Category:University of Limpopo alumni]]
[[Category:South African anti-abortion activists]]
[[Category:South African evangelicals]]
[[Category:South African Christian Zionists]]
[[Category:South African Zionists]]
[[Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2019–2024]]
[[Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 1999–2004]]
[[Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 1994–1999]]
[[Category:South African political party founders]]