Manyane Manyane|Published
A new report has called on the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) to be supported and funded as political assassinations have transcended historical hotspots, migrating into provinces that have traditionally experienced low levels of political violence.
This is according to the new report from the Global Initiative against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC), which revealed that this trend is now claiming lives in provinces once considered safe, including the Western Cape, North West and Limpopo, suggesting that no region is immune to the deadly intersections of politics and power ahead of the local government elections on November 4.
The report stated political assassinations increased ahead of the elections as 43 people were killed from 45 political attacks that happened between January 1 and September 30, 2026.
The figure, according to GI-TOC, is already higher than the full-year political totals for the 2021 municipal election year, which recorded 30 politically motivated killings.
The number also surpassed totals for the 2024 national elections (33) and 2025 (31).
This current surge even bypasses the highest annual benchmarks recorded in the tracking series since 2015, which were 42 in 2019 and 40 in 2022.
The report stated that while post-incident arrests are necessary, they are fundamentally insufficient, adding that Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) should retain its authority, funding and political backing through the election period and beyond.
The report also added that the team should also be protected from interference.
Formed in 2018 under a directive from President Cyril Ramaphosa following the recommendations of the Moerane Commission, the PKTT combined forces from SAPS, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and intelligence agencies. Despite being heavily burdened with hundreds of complex cases, it became highly regarded for securing some of the best detection and conviction rates within SAPS.
However, in December 2024, then-Police Minister Senzo Mchunu issued a controversial directive to immediately dissolve the PKTT, arguing that the task team had fulfilled its temporary purpose, ran up high operational costs (totalling R435 million since its inception), and that resources needed to be reallocated to tackle broader gang and murder crises nationwide.
KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi openly rebelled against the decision, labelling it irregular and potentially politically motivated. Mkhwanazi and other critics claimed the sudden halt of 121 active dockets was an act of political interference designed to protect highly-connected politicians and criminal networks from prosecution.
This led to the establishment of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry and Parliament Ad Hoc Committee to investigate the suspected political contamination and corruption behind the shutdown.
Asked what specific legislative or institutional frameworks are being put in place to ensure that the PKTT retains its full investigative authority during and after the upcoming elections, Police Ministerial spokesperson Kamo Mogotsi said Police Minister Firoz Cachalia was in a special cabinet meeting.
SAPS spokesperson Lt-Col Amanda van Wyk also did not respond.
Gi-TOC stated that of the number of political attacks recorded, 41 people were killed in 36 attacks directed at political party officials, ward councillors, members of civic organisations and movements, and traditional leadership, including Sinovuyo Dyokwe, a DA candidate, whose killing the database records as organised crime.
The report added that the June 2026 voter registration weekend was the year’s deadliest for political hits, with 40 incidents recorded across all assassination categories, including 12 political cases.
The situation reached its bloodiest climax over the 20-21 June registration weekend, during which five political figures were killed in four provinces - Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
This includes Dyokwe, BOSA ward candidate in Gugulethu, Leon Ngcikwe, MK Party members Mozwakhile Zungu and Siyabonga Mabaso in Bekkersdal, Gauteng, branch executive member in KwaZulu-Natal, Vukani Majozi and ANC ward councillor in the Eastern Cape, Sicelo Mleve.
GI-TOC added that this crisis highlights how the government ignored recommendations by the Moerane Commission.
The commission recommended that political parties take responsibility for the violent competition between their members for political positions and power, and discipline members whose conduct encourages violence, and must report members implicated in killings to the law enforcement authorities.
The government was also told to depoliticise and professionalise the public service, end the deployment of unqualified political appointees, vigorously investigate and prosecute tender corruption and depoliticise the criminal justice system.
The report stated that little of that has happened.