Opposition party organiser killed before South Africa elections

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.

⁠Senior police spokesman Robert Netshiunda said 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 investigating the motive, Netshiunda said.

South African police said last weekend that 20 murders involving political representatives, party members and supporters had been recorded during the municipal election period.

Last week, South African President ‌‌Cyril Ramaphosa ordered the deployment of more than 500 soldiers to KwaZulu-Natal to support police, who have ‌‌identified ‌‌more than 165 polling stations in the province as high-risk.

Voters on Wednesday will elect councillors, who will then choose mayors to oversee 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 – the economic hub of KwaZulu-Natal – and displace the governing African National ⁠⁠Congress (ANC) there.

Former President Jacob Zuma leads the MKP after ⁠⁠a bitter split with the ⁠⁠ANC in 2023. The party’s rise helped erode the ANC’s support in the 2024 national election.

The ANC lost its parliamentary majority in 2024 and formed a unity government with the Democratic Alliance (DA), the second-largest party, and smaller parties.

In the last municipal elections in 2021, the ANC lost control of several big cities. It governs others through coalitions.