‘Stop these murders’: KZN police tells parties to ‘compete without violence’ amid political killings
The latest murder cases had been referred to the province's political killings task team.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is gearing up for potential unrest as political killings threaten to escalate ahead of the 2026 local government elections. With voting scheduled for 4 November, police are monitoring areas where tensions could rise as political parties ramp up their campaigns. Recent killings have drawn attention to the province's history of political violence.
Three Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) councillor candidates, including Khethelo Mdluli, Lucky Sokhele, and Bheki Mabaso, were murdered in September. KZN Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli stated that 18 councillors had been assassinated since the 2021 elections. Acting KZN Police Commissioner Phumelele Makoba addressed the situation, urging political parties to refrain from violence and urging citizens to report any officers taking sides.
The police are also tapping Crime Intelligence to identify high-risk areas. While local crime rates have dropped slightly, the police stress that community involvement is crucial in the fight against crime.
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