At least 21 politically motivated murders have been recorded in connection with South Africa’s 2026 Local Government Elections, despite security authorities declaring Wednesday’s voting largely peaceful.
The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) revealed on Thursday that police had registered 122 criminal case dockets and arrested 59 suspects during the special voting period and Election Day.
“The figures include 65 criminal cases and 32 arrests recorded during special voting on Monday and Tuesday, while a further 57 cases and 27 arrests were recorded on Wednesday, 4 November,” said Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili, co-chair of NATJOINTS.
Addressing the media on the security situation surrounding the elections, NATJOINTS confirmed that the 21 politically motivated murder cases included the killing of an uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party member in KwaZulu-Natal.
Mosikili also reported several additional murders during the election period, although it did not establish whether these were politically motivated.
In Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, a 57-year-old man was shot and killed in the early hours of Thursday morning.
In another incident, a 31-year-old man was stabbed to death at a park opposite Florapark Comprehensive School in Polokwane, Limpopo. Police arrested a 35-year-old suspect in connection with the murder.
KwaZulu-Natal police also registered a murder case after a man was attacked and killed while walking home on Election Day.
Mosikili also confirmed two deaths involving an elderly woman who collapsed in Shallcross, KwaZulu-Natal, and later died in hospital, and an Electoral Commission (IEC) official who died following a similar incident in Buhrmansdrift in the North West on 2 November.
Despite the incidents, NATJOINTS maintained that the elections had taken place in a largely safe and conducive environment, with security forces successfully preventing widespread disruptions.
“The coordinated deployment and decisive interventions of the NATJOINTS structures ensured that Voting Day, on 04 November 2026, was conducted in a largely conducive and safe environment, with minimal disruptions,” Mosikili said.
According to the security briefing, 85 incidents were reported nationally on Election Day, resulting in 57 criminal case dockets.
Of these, 32 involved alleged contraventions of the Electoral Act, while other reported offences included assault, intimidation, malicious damage to property, theft, public violence, fraud and burglary.
KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest number of Election Day criminal cases, with 15 cases and six arrests.
Limpopo followed with 11 cases and four arrests, while the Eastern Cape registered 10 cases and four arrests.
Gauteng recorded eight cases and seven arrests, making it the province with the highest number of arrests on Election Day.
The security operation had placed particular emphasis on 331 voting stations identified as high-risk across the country.
These included 165 in KwaZulu-Natal, 119 in Gauteng, 33 in the Western Cape and 11 in Mpumalanga.
“Planned marches and protests in several provinces had failed to materialise, while law enforcement agencies intervened at voting stations affected by operational, logistical and service delivery challenges,” she added.
The security structure also confirmed that action had been taken against IEC officials implicated in alleged electoral transgressions.
“In KwaZulu-Natal, police acted against a South African Police Service member who arrived at a voting station in a vehicle displaying political party branding,” Mosikili said.
NATJOINTS warned that electoral misconduct, intimidation and violence would not be tolerated, regardless of the individuals involved.
“Violations of electoral legislation and other criminal conduct will be dealt with decisively, irrespective of where they occur or who is involved,” she said.
With the counting, reconciliation, verification and capturing of election results still underway, NATJOINTS said security operations would remain in place to protect voting materials and safeguard the results-management process.
The structure said law enforcement agencies would continue monitoring potential threats during the post-election period.
“The Security Cluster remains on the ground, alert and operationally ready until the electoral process is concluded.”