Siphokazi Vuso|Published
At least seven suspected political killings have been reported in the Western Cape in the first nine months of 2026, while death threats and intimidation are forcing some candidates to suspend active campaigning ahead of the November 4 local government elections.
The violence has claimed the lives of political figures across party lines, including ANC councillor Aubrey Tsengwa, who was shot dead in Knysna, DA ward candidate Sinovuyo Dyokwe, who was gunned down in Dunoon, and Build One South Africa (BOSA) ward candidate Leon Ngcikwe, who was shot dead in Gugulethu.
The threats come as 55 political parties and 12 independent candidates prepare to contest the City of Cape Town, raising concerns about candidates’ safety and the potential impact of intimidation on the electoral process.
Nationally, at least 43 people were killed in 45 suspected political attacks during the first nine months of the year, according to the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC). The report identified the June 20-21 voter registration weekend as the deadliest period, with six people killed across four provinces.
It also recorded 40 incidents across all assassination categories, including 12 classified as political cases.
Death threats disrupt election campaigning
In the Western Cape, threats have already disrupted campaigning, with parties reporting that candidates fear for their safety and that of their families.
GOOD mayoral candidate Brett Herron said the party had advised a serving ward councillor, who is also a candidate in the upcoming elections, to leave his home with his family and suspend active campaigning after receiving death threats.
“We have had a current councillor, who is also a ward councillor candidate in a municipality in the Western Cape for the elections, who received blood-curdling death threats. The threats included harm to his young children,” Herron said.
“We advised our councillor to remove himself and his family from their home and to take a break from active campaigning.”
People’s Movement for Change (PMC) secretary-general Zandre Allen said the party had also received threats against its ward candidates, with gang violence believed to be behind some of the intimidation.
“Our ward candidate in Lavender Hill has received threats, we believe this is due to gang violence. In some hotspot areas the candidates don't want to be on the posters,” Allen said.
He said the party had established a dashboard to record threats and report them to law enforcement.
Police committee chair calls for threats to be taken seriously
Portfolio Committee on Police chairperson Ian Cameron said there was evidence of an increase in suspected political killings nationally, highlighting the need for threats to be taken seriously before they escalated into violence.
His comments come amid reports of further killings in other provinces. Two ANC members were reportedly shot dead in Umgababa, KwaZulu-Natal, while four ANC Youth League members were killed in a shooting in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni, on Tuesday.
“My main concern is that threats must receive serious attention before someone is killed. Candidates need a reliable way to report intimidation, prompt threat assessments and protection proportionate to the risk, regardless of political affiliation,” Cameron said.
“A complaint must lead to an assessment and appropriate action, rather than simply a case number.”
Crime expert calls for investigation into possible links
Crime expert Yusuf Abramjee said investigators needed to establish whether the killings were connected through common suspects, hitmen, weapons, vehicles, financiers or individuals allegedly orchestrating the attacks.
“The key questions are whether these killings are politically motivated, linked to disputes over tenders and municipal contracts, driven by factional battles within political parties, or connected to organised crime and the struggle for control of lucrative resources,” he said.
Investigators also needed to establish whether there was a pattern of threats, intimidation and assassinations targeting councillors, political activists, community leaders or whistleblowers, Abramjee said.
Police outline election security planning
Western Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said the South African Police Service had a comprehensive operational plan for the upcoming local government elections and related events.
She said regular meetings were held under the provincial joint operational and intelligence structure, known as ProvJoints, to coordinate planning, share intelligence and ensure that information was acted on operationally.
“As part of the operational plan, continuous assessments are conducted throughout the province to determine the level of threat and requisite operational response,” Potelwa said.