Political killings threaten elections
Amid increasing political violence, the killing of councillors in South Africa raises alarms ahead of the November 4 Local Government Elections, as fears of targeted assassinations grow due to competition for municipal resources.
Political killings are increasingly threatening the upcoming Local Government Elections in South Africa. Members of the African National Congress (ANC) are falling victim to violence due to intense competition for municipal resources, state tenders, and well-paid public jobs. A recent spate of killings in Knysna saw three ANC-linked figures murdered within 24 hours, reigniting concerns about political violence at the municipal level.
Other political parties have also experienced losses, with DA candidate councillor Sinovuyo Dyokwe shot dead in Dunoon and ANC councillor Sibusiso Khwela killed in his office.
Acting Municipal Manager Boy Ngubo stated that additional law enforcement has been deployed to protect councillors, some of whom have been relocated to safe houses. The Knysna Municipality is working with provincial authorities to conduct a risk assessment for further security measures. Executive Mayor Councillor Thando Matika condemned the violence, emphasizing that an attack on public representatives is an assault on democratic local government.
The killings occur amid warnings that political violence could intensify as parties vie for positions in the November elections, with previous years witnessing a surge in political assassinations linked to fierce competition for local government positions and access to municipal finances.
Research has shown that political killings have increased during local election years, driven by factionalism, tenderpreneurism, and competition over public resources for personal gain. Political office is now often viewed as a lucrative economic opportunity rather than a public service, leading to corruption and public looting.
In response to the recent politically linked deaths, including those during the June voter-registration weekend across three provinces, South Africa may face its deadliest local government elections in terms of violence, affecting all political parties, not just the IFP, ANC, EFF, DA, or BOSA. Political analyst Sandile Swana warns that the violence is increasingly cutting across party lines and could pose an extreme threat to democracy and community safety, requiring investigations that go beyond identifying the shooter to uncover who commissioned the killings and who benefited from them.
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