South Africans preparing to vote in the November 4 local government elections are being promised decisive protection at the ballot box, after police confirmed that 20 murders involving political representatives, party members and supporters have been recorded during the election period, with arrests made in only seven of those cases.
The figures, disclosed by Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili, Deputy National Commissioner for Policing and Chairperson of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS), place the safety of voters and candidates at the centre of the national conversation in the final stretch of the campaign. Mosikili revealed the numbers during a media briefing at the SAPS Academy in Tshwane on Sunday, November 1.
For ordinary citizens, the stakes are direct. The right to vote freely, without intimidation or fear, is the foundation of the democratic process, and the police leadership has acknowledged that the environment leading up to the polls demands heightened vigilance. Authorities have intensified operations to prevent political violence, voter intimidation and disruptions at polling stations.
“We remain particularly concerned about incidents involving the loss of life during the election period. 20 murders with 7 arrests effected have been recorded in incidents involving political representatives, party members and supporters,” Mosikili said.
The geographic spread of the killings underscores how widely the risk is felt. Gauteng recorded the highest number of murders with seven, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with six. The Western Cape recorded three, the Eastern Cape two, while the Free State and North West recorded one each. Investigations into the killings have been prioritised, with specialised investigators, including the Political Killings Task Team, deployed alongside provincial and national detective structures.
Meanwhile, the broader picture of election-related crime is substantial. Police have registered 139 election-related criminal dockets nationally since the start of the 2026 local government election processes, resulting in 48 arrests. Of those cases, 21 were reported during the first voter registration weekend, 13 during the second registration weekend and 105 outside the registration weekends. A total of 48 suspects have been arrested, 69 cases remain under investigation, eight have been referred to the Senior Public Prosecutor for a decision, and 25 have been enrolled in court.
“These figures reflect ongoing law enforcement efforts to investigate reported offences and ensure that perpetrators are brought before the courts,” Mosikili said.
Offences under the Electoral Act accounted for the largest share of reported cases, with 72 incidents and 22 arrests. Other offences included 14 assaults, 10 murders, 10 intimidation cases, eight incidents of malicious damage to property, seven theft cases, one attempted murder and 17 other offences. The briefing also reported the separate figure of 20 murders involving political representatives, party members and supporters, although Mosikili did not clarify its relationship to the 10 murder cases listed among the 139 election-related dockets.
Security planning is being shaped by a range of pressures that could destabilise the electoral environment. Mosikili said assessments are taking into account political tensions, service delivery protests, anti-foreigner sentiments, labour disputes and other developments.
In KwaZulu-Natal, authorities are monitoring protest-related developments, including compliance with a recent Durban High Court interim order involving the Minister of Police and March and March. The order restricts intimidation, violence, property damage and road obstructions, while prohibiting demonstrations within 100 metres of voting stations during voting, counting and the announcement of results. By contrast, in the Western Cape, taxi-related violence remains an operational concern, with law enforcement agencies continuing interventions to stabilise affected areas.
The message from police leadership to voters is one of assurance, paired with a warning to those who would interfere with the vote. Mosikili stressed that police would not tolerate attempts to intimidate voters, threaten election officials or prevent citizens from exercising their democratic rights.
“No individual or organisation has the right to obstruct voting stations, threaten electoral officials, intimidate voters or undermine another person’s democratic rights,” Mosikili said. “Government, through NATJOINTS, will respond decisively to criminal conduct, with all offenders dealt with in accordance with the law, while protecting legitimate political participation and peaceful protest.”
She called on political parties, candidates and supporters to exercise restraint and avoid conduct that could undermine the elections. For the millions of South Africans heading to polling stations on November 4, the coming days will test whether that assurance holds.