Political killings in South Africa have already passed the total for the last local government election year.
And there are still weeks to go before voters head to the polls.
Candidates have been shot outside their homes and while campaigning.
Now, police and the Electoral Commission are under pressure to keep the elections safe.
Here’s what’s being done.
Police have activated a national election security plan.
A specialised task team is investigating the killings.
And the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) is working with security agencies to assess the risk at every voting station.
HOW MANY POLITICAL KILLINGS HAVE THERE BEEN?
According to a report titled Ballots and Bullets by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC), 43 people were killed in 45 political attacks between 1 January and 30 September 2026.
That’s already more than the 30 politically motivated killings recorded in the whole of 2021, the last local government election year.
Most of the attacks, 16, happened in KwaZulu-Natal.
Another 10 took place in Gauteng.
The report found that the June voter registration weekend was the deadliest period of the year so far.
RECENT KILLINGS
The violence has continued in October.
On Thursday, 15 October, gunmen shot and killed two African National Congress (ANC) members while they were campaigning in Umgababa, KwaZulu-Natal.
That came days after four ANC youth members were shot dead at a memorial service in Katlehong, near Johannesburg.
In September, three Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) ward candidates were killed in separate incidents in KwaZulu-Natal.
WHAT ARE POLICE DOING?
Police are operating under a National Integrated Security Plan for the elections.
It’s coordinated through the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS), which brings together the police, the military, intelligence services and other state agencies.
According to NATJOINTS, the plan includes:
- Visible policing.
- Intelligence gathering.
- Protection of election infrastructure.
- Rapid response teams.
- Crowd management at political events.
NATJOINTS co-chairperson Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili has warned that anyone planning political attacks or assassinations will face arrest and prosecution.
CAN CANDIDATES GET PROTECTION?
Not automatically.
Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia responded to the question in a reply to Parliament.
He said police would protect candidates by monitoring and assessing threats.
They would also police public gatherings.
And they would work to prevent and investigate intimidation and violence.
“Any individual protection measures will be considered in accordance with applicable prescripts and verified threat assessments,” Cachalia said.
He added that these measures “will be applied impartially to all candidates and political parties”.
WHO IS INVESTIGATING THE KILLINGS?
The Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), set up in 2018, is investigating the killings.
The bold stays on Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) and 2018.
Since its formation, the task team has arrested more than 400 suspects, including more than 180 alleged hitmen.
The GI-TOC report recommends that the task team keeps its authority, funding and political backing through the election period and beyond.
It also says authorities should shield the team from interference.
WHAT IS THE IEC DOING?
The IEC isn’t responsible for policing, but it works closely with the security cluster.
It co-chairs a priority committee within NATJOINTS, which plans security for the elections.
According to an IEC briefing to Parliament, security agencies have assessed the risk profile of every voting district.
Each voting station receives its own security categorisation.
Security agencies then allocate personnel according to those risks.
IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo has also warned political parties against intimidation, sabotage and acts of intolerance.
He said these could lead to action in the Electoral Court.
HOW TO REPORT ELECTION VIOLENCE
Anyone with information about political violence or intimidation can contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111, or use the MySAPS App.
In an emergency, call the South African Police Service (SAPS) on 10111.
DO YOU FEEL SAFE VOTING IN THE 4 NOVEMBER LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS?
Let us know in the comments below…