by TINTSWALO BALOYI
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – THE assassination of councillors at the beginning of the electoral process already undermines the credibility of the watershed local government elections South Africa is to hold in November.
Adding to the already volatile situation as the country experiences xenophobic violence, the killings are a reminder of how polls in the Southern African country have over the years become a matter of life and death.
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) kicked off the registration exercise on Saturday amid tragedy.
Sicelo Mleve (45), a ward councillor of the African National Congress (ANC) in Nelson Mandela Bay, was assassinated during a local party meeting. Police reported that two suspects stormed the venue, held the victims at gunpoint, robbed them of valuables and shot the politician, who died on the spot.
“The ANC condemns this senseless act of violence in the strongest possible terms and urges law enforcement agencies to spare no effort in ensuring that those responsible are caught and brought to justice,” the party stated.
It appealed to individuals with information that could lead to the arrest of the perpetrators to share it with the police.
While investigations continue, the Eastern Cape branch of the ANC is in shambles and beset by infighting, which has spilled into the courts.
Last week, the Eastern Cape High Court invalidated an interim executive the party had put in place in place of one that is opposed to the national leadership.
The court’s verdict leaves the party without a provincial executive.
Also on Saturday, Sinovuyo Dyokwe (48), a ward candidate for the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the party’s stronghold of the Western Cape province, was shot and killed.
Police reported she was gunned down on her way from a voter registration venue.
The motive for the killing is under investigation.
“The DA will be monitoring the situation closely and will fight to ensure Sinovuyo’s loved ones receive the justice they deserve,” the DA stated.
The DA is the biggest coalition partner of the ANC in the Government of National Unity running South Africa since 2024 after the ANC, the ruling party at the end of colonial rule in 1994, lost its parliamentary majority.
Local government polls are scheduled for November 4, with the ANC forecast to lose further voter share amid corruption scandals, service delivery issues, widening inequalities and frustration over illegal immigration.
In 2016, the ANC lost its outright majority in four of the country’s metropolitan municipalities for the first time since 1994.
The 2026 elections are expected to produce a record number of coalition governments.
The assassination of political candidates, particularly at local government level, is a persistent concern in the country.
These targeted killings have become a method used to influence leadership selection, secure access to state resources and eliminate opponents.
Assassinations are most severe at municipal level because positions as ward councillors are often highly sought after due to access to salaries and influence in awarding lucrative tenders.
Much of the violence is driven by factionalism within political parties, with nomination processes to select candidates being divisive.
Data indicates that police recorded 31 incidents of political assassination in 2023.
“The systemic nature of these killings poses a serious threat to democratic processes in South Africa, as they are used to manipulate political outcomes and silence dissent,” said a political commentator.
The two-day registration exercise closed on Sunday evening.
The IEC reported it was experiencing high traffic on its website as thousands of South Africans accessed voter registration services.
“This may result in the system being slower than usual. Our technical teams are actively working to resolve this matter as quickly as possible,” it stated ahead of the completion of the exercise.
Preliminary figures show KwaZulu-Natal leading registration activity, followed by the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and Limpopo.
– CAJ News