Omanghana
At least 43 people were killed in suspected politically motivated attacks in South Africa between January and September 2026, according to the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC).
Its report, Bullets and Ballots, recorded 45 attacks through September 30. The death toll already exceeds every annual total documented since monitoring began in 2015.
The ANC accounted for 13 victims, while eight belonged to former president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe Party. KwaZulu-Natal recorded the most attacks, followed by Gauteng. Targets included councilors, party officials, civic activists and traditional leaders.
The findings come as South Africa prepares to elect municipal councils on November 4, 2026. Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa formally proclaimed the election date in August.
The report links the violence to intense competition for local political office, including rivalries within parties and struggles over municipal resources. Access to public contracts, employment opportunities and budgets can raise the financial stakes of securing a nomination or winning a council seat.
Criminal intimidation adds to those pressures, with some candidates reportedly facing extortion threats from local syndicates.
The findings raise concerns about the safety of candidates and community leaders as campaigning intensifies, with researchers warning that the period before voting could bring further violence.
Source: Omanghana
