KwaZulu-Natal could become a hotbed of political assassinations after the May 29 elections given the likelihood of political realignment, which could diminish the governing ANC’s electoral majority.
This is according to a report released by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Crime on Monday.
More than 19 town councillors have been assassinated in KwaZulu-Natal since the November 2021 local government elections. Since February 2023, six out of eight political assassinations recorded in the country occurred in various parts of the province, where 20.7% of SA’s 27-million registered voters reside.
These incidents primarily targeted ward councillors and were mostly driven by competition among political party factions for positions and tenders.
The report notes that previous attempts to address targeted political violence in the province, most recently based on the Moerane commission, have been largely unsuccessful.
Political killings have continued unabated, the landscape now characterised by a mix of inter-party and intraparty violence, linked to changes in provincial governments and the establishment of coalition municipalities.
“While some of the measures proposed by the commission have been implemented at the provincial level — for example, the formation of an interministerial task team to oversee the work of security agencies — it is clear that others have not, most notably the recommendation that political parties educate their members regarding peaceful resolutions to internal disputes,” the report reads.
“Political killings have continued unabated, the landscape now characterised by a mix of inter-party and intraparty violence, linked to changes in provincial governments and the establishment of coalition municipalities.
“Those in local government, most notably councillors, are the primary targets of political assassination, largely because of the access they have to highly coveted and lucrative municipal contracts. Business people take advantage of this by using their government contacts to fraudulently secure tenders.”
KwaZulu-Natal law enforcement authorities have deployed 17,000 police and other security personnel across all voting districts to prevent violence during and after the elections.
The province’s MEC for transport, community safety & liaison, Sipho Hlomuka, told the media on Monday that KwaNongoma and other parts of Zululand would receive maximum attention because of high levels of political intolerance.
“This is one area that has of late been experiencing the killing of councillors and it is one of the declared hotspot areas ... While most of these challenges can be attributed to dynamics in the local government, we will leave nothing to chance,” Hlomuka said.
KwaZulu-Natal has been a hive of activity in the run-up to the elections, with the ANC, EFF and IFP holding manifesto rallies in the province between February and March.
The emergence of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, led by former president Jacob Zuma, has added another element to voting.
Its voting pool is similar to that of the ANC, which is facing its toughest elections yet. Various polls estimate its share of the national vote could decline to below 50%, forcing it into coalitions with smaller parties.
An Ipsos opinion poll released last month put MK support at only 8%. The party is, however, expected to make inroads in former president Jacob Zuma’s home province of KwaZulu-Natal, possibly making MK one of the kingmakers in the region.
KwaZulu-Natal business person Visven Reddy and former student activist turned politician Bongani Khanyile have threatened violence if Zuma is not allowed to participate in the provincial and national election.
The MK party has previously said the pair’s utterances do not reflect the views of the party.
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