Political violence, including murders, in South Africa primarily targets ANC members and has intensified in the run-up to elections and conferences. (Paul Botes/M&G)
South Africa has a history of political violence, including violent protests and a culture of political killings. Historically, violence has been rooted in a variety of factors, including ethnic and tribal differences and political intolerance. These forces were fueled by the 'third force' of the apartheid regime's security apparatus and fueled inter-party conflict between the ANC and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP). As a result, thousands of lives were lost in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng during the late 1980s, before the transition to democracy. Many more lives were lost in the early 1990s, during and after the first national democratic elections.
Although less so than in the early 1990s, political violence remains a large part of the country's political culture, creating an atmosphere of instability. At the local government level, this has taken many forms, including brawls in council chambers, as seen in the Johannesburg and Tshwane metros in recent weeks. Political violence is also witnessed in violent forms of protests and looting, as was vividly seen in the July 2021 riots. Increasingly, this tendency manifests itself through threats, attempted political murders, and actual assassinations.
Moreover, political violence creates a climate of fear and a culture of intimidation. For example, in 2017, prominent ANC Youth League leader and Umzimkulu municipal councilor Sindiso Magaka was murdered for blowing the whistle on rampant procurement corruption within the municipality. This case, like many others, remains unsolved to this day. Alarmingly, both the frequency and intensity of political killings are increasing, highlighting the need to investigate the root causes of the problem.
The following murders have occurred in the past few weeks:
- On 22 January, ANC eThekwini metro district councilor Minenhle Mkhize was shot dead in front of his home in KwaZulu-Natal.
- On January 29, IFP councilor and Amajuba District Municipality Chairperson Reginald Bekmundeni Ndima, 58, was shot dead in front of his home in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal.
- On February 13, ANC Nelson Mandela Bay Metro Councilor Mzwandile “Zwelandile” Booy was shot dead in his car in Kwazakhele, Eastern Cape.and
- 26 February 2022 – An ANC councilor for Thembinkosi Lombo, Umvoti Municipality, was shot dead as he walked to a grocery store in KwaZulu-Natal.
Political killings primarily target individuals in political and, in some cases, administrative positions in the government. Currently, they are concentrated in local governments, primarily involving city councilors, with more than 90% of all political assassination attempts over the past 20 years being on councilors.
The recent increase in political attacks may be related to municipal finances as the main source of patronage. Leverages of political power at the local level are attractive because local councilors and political office holders have a significant say in the allocation of resources for service provision. Because these situations are characterized by high unemployment rates, the economic benefits and income obtained from local government jobs can often mean the difference between poverty and economic well-being. This consideration also creates competition for access to such coveted positions and increases the incentive for competitors to be excluded.
Councilors have considerable power to influence local government resources, both directly and indirectly, through input on tenders, housing contracts, road construction, and the supply of goods and services. This also encourages the involvement of organized criminal elements who seek to capture decision-makers in awarding contracts for development projects.
For example, we have seen the rise of construction 'mafias' in municipalities such as Tshwane, Isakwini and Nelson Mandela Bay. These illegal groups extort fees from new construction and development projects. Disobeying instructions or blowing the whistle on a deal will result in a murder case. When special interests come into play, the corrupting influence of power becomes evident and the propensity for political tension and violence between political competitors or politically aligned entrepreneurs increases.
The map on this page is based on the number of political assassinations reported by Global Initiative Against Transnational Crime data. This indicates that assassinations are concentrated in KwaZulu-Natal. The state remains a hotspot for political violence and holds a unique place in the country's history of violence. This is stated in the Moerane Committee report.
The commission investigated the root causes of the murders of politicians in KwaZulu-Natal, identifying the easy proliferation of illegal weapons, the association of taxi violence with illegal activities, and the conditions of the notorious Glebeland hostel as facilitating conditions. Violence and assassination threats and attempts are more common in certain areas of the province, with growing concerns in Pietermaritzburg, the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, and the eThekwini metro.
In eThekwini Metro, where no political party enjoys a full majority after the 2021 local government elections, the violence is the result of decision-making in the balanced parliament. The killings could trigger by-elections, alter voting patterns for certain camps and alter parliamentary decision-making.
Deep-rooted infighting and intra-party politics are part of the political culture that creates instability in the local situation. It is no coincidence that political violence increases as elections approach. This is most boldly deployed at the local level, as party branches are often linked to municipalities. For example, in the run-up to last year's local government elections, meetings to select city council and ward candidates in multiple regions across the country were marred by violence, with people shot, injured, and taken hostage. , murdered.
The violence has primarily targeted ANC members, with the exception of a number of incidents involving members of other parties, including the Democratic Alliance, IFP, National Freedom Party, and Economic Freedom Fighters. It can be described almost entirely as an intra-party matter. The ANC plans to hold a national electoral conference in December 2022. Party branches play an important role in elections to determine the party president by sending delegates to vote. Typically, branch secretaries and committee chairs choose who to nominate and elect to leadership positions in the party's local and national organizations at meetings.
Given the high stakes and large flows of money and influence, the frequency of violence and killings is likely to increase in the run-up to the election conference. The prospects for further conflict are further worsened by a clear trend of declining electoral fortunes and a decline in the party's majority. This means fewer opportunities to gain power and status and more competition for the remaining resources and status. This may also indicate difficulty in ceding or handing over power, likely leading to further violent attacks and killings.
There is little sign that the trend in political killings is reversing. The main problem with this growing political culture is how it leads to instability and division by encouraging changes in leadership. The killing creates a vacuum and political uncertainty by changing the way positions are allocated, disrupting the process of electoral guidance. Political violence is increasingly likely to undermine confidence in the rule of law and further undermine the democratic nature of states. This issue threatens to undermine trust in governing institutions and requires urgent action.
Stuart Mbanyele is a Researcher in Good Governance Africa's Governance Delivery and Impact Programme. He holds a Master's degree in Security and Strategic Studies from the University of Pretoria.