Politics in South Africa has again turned violent. With the South Africa elections only hours away, an organiser for the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) has been murdered in KwaZulu-Natal.
Shot during a Zoom call
Police say Lastborn Shazi was shot dead at his home late on Monday while on a Zoom call coordinating the party’s campaign. Police spokesman Robert Netshiunda said a murder investigation is open and the motive is still unknown. No arrests were reported at the time of writing.
His death adds to a grim count. Police said last weekend that 20 murders involving political representatives, party members and supporters had been recorded during the municipal election period.
Soldiers on the ground
President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered more than 500 soldiers into KwaZulu-Natal to support police, who have flagged over 165 polling stations in the province as high-risk. Political killings are not new in the province, and many South Africans will remember how tense past local contests have been.
A province to watch
KwaZulu-Natal matters because of eThekwini, the metro that includes Durban and serves as the province’s economic hub. Recent polls project the MKP, led by former president Jacob Zuma, could become the largest party there and push out the governing African National Congress (ANC).
Zuma split bitterly from the ANC in 2023, and the MKP’s rise helped cost the ANC its parliamentary majority in 2024. The ANC then formed a unity government with the Democratic Alliance and smaller parties. In the 2021 municipal elections, the ANC lost control of several big cities and now runs others through coalitions.
Councillors elected on Wednesday will choose mayors who oversee water, sanitation and refuse collection, the services residents complain about most.
Why it matters beyond one province
Free and fair voting depends on people feeling safe to campaign, whichever party they back. A killing during a campaign call is a stark reminder of that. Security forces say they are ready, and voters in the high-risk areas will be hoping that is true.
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