Hlabisa calls for peaceful elections amid 20 political killings - IOL

As South Africans prepare to head to voting stations, Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa has called for peaceful local government elections amid the killing of 20 people linked to political parties and election activities.

This comes as police have registered 139 election-related criminal cases nationwide, including intimidation, assault and murder, ahead of Wednesday's vote.

Hlabisa, who chairs the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Local Government Elections, has urged political parties, candidates, and their supporters to reject violence and respect voters' rights.

“The power is yours to make the difference you wish to see. Let us protect our democracy, participate peacefully and ensure that these elections are free, fair and incident-free,” Hlabisa said.

The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS), which is co-ordinating election security, confirmed that 20 murders involving political representatives, party members and supporters had been recorded during the election period.

Gauteng recorded seven killings, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with six, the Western Cape with three, the Eastern Cape with two, and the Free State and North West with one each.

Seven arrests have been made in connection with the 20 killings so far.

During a media briefing on Sunday night, NATJOINTS confirmed that 48 suspects had been arrested in connection with election-related offences.

Of the 139 cases opened, 69 remain under investigation, 25 have been enrolled in court, and eight have been referred to senior prosecutors for decisions.

The cases include 72 offences under the Electoral Act, 14 assaults, 10 intimidation cases, and eight incidents of malicious damage to property.

Police have assigned specialised investigators, including the Political Killings Task Team, to investigate the murders.

Despite the killings, NATJOINTS said preparations were complete, with national and provincial security teams deployed to monitor developments throughout the elections.

“We wish to confirm that NATJOINTS and Provincial Joint Operational and Intelligence Structures (PROVJOINTS) have been activated and are fully operational,” it said.

NATJOINTS said security assessments had been conducted at voting stations, with police deployments determined by threats identified in different areas.

The South African National Defence Force is also on standby to assist police where necessary, while specialised units and mobile teams are ready to respond to incidents.

“Our collective responsibility is to ensure that the electoral process takes place in an environment characterised by peace, stability, public order and respect for the rule of law, while protecting every eligible voter’s constitutional right to participate freely, without intimidation, obstruction or unlawful interference,” NATJOINTS said.

Security officials are also keeping watch on service delivery protests, community disputes, and tensions that could affect voting.

NATJOINTS warned that election-related offences would be dealt with through criminal investigations and prosecutions.

“No individual or organisation has the right to obstruct voting stations, threaten electoral officials, intimidate voters or undermine another person’s democratic rights,” it added.

Police stations will continue handling emergencies, criminal complaints, and investigations during the election period.

Meanwhile, Hlabisa called on young South Africans to vote, noting that municipal elections allow residents to decide who should represent their communities.

“Voting allows communities to influence municipal leadership, shape local priorities, and hold elected representatives accountable for service delivery,” he said.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has registered more than 29 million voters, including over 750 000 new registrations ahead of Wednesday's elections.

Special voting begins on Monday, with 2 655 067 people approved to vote over two days. Of these, 678 525 will receive home visits because of physical infirmity or disability.

The IEC has deployed 127 000 electoral officials to administer special voting.

Hlabisa urged South Africans to participate peacefully and respect the rights of fellow voters.