An organiser from an opposition party has been killed in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province, raising concerns about political violence before Wednesday’s local government elections.
Murder Investigation Underway
Senior police spokesman Robert Netshiunda stated on Tuesday that a murder investigation had been opened after Lastborn Shazi, identified by the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), was shot dead late on Monday at his home while on a Zoom call coordinating the party’s election campaign. Police are actively investigating the motive behind the killing, Netshiunda explained.
South African police reported last weekend that 20 murders involving political representatives, party members, and supporters had been recorded during the municipal election period. In response to the security climate, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered the deployment of more than 500 soldiers to KwaZulu-Natal last week to support police forces, who have identified more than 165 polling stations in the province as high-risk.
Political Landscape and Context
Voters on Wednesday will head to the polls to elect councillors, who will subsequently choose mayors to oversee essential municipal services, including water, sanitation, and rubbish collection. Recent polls project the MKP to emerge as the largest party in the closely contested eThekwini metropolitan area, which serves as the economic hub of KwaZulu-Natal, and displace the governing African National Congress (ANC) in the region.
The MKP is led by former President Jacob Zuma following a bitter split with the ANC in 2023, and the party’s swift rise played a significant role in eroding the ANC’s support during the 2024 national election. Consequently, the ANC lost its parliamentary majority in 2024 and was forced to form a unity government with the Democratic Alliance, which is the second-largest party, alongside several smaller parties. During the previous municipal elections held in 2021, the ANC lost control of several major cities and currently governs others through various coalitions.
