In brief
The killing of Lastborn Shazi, a uMkhonto weSizwe Party coordinator, has intensified concerns over political violence ahead of South Africa’s municipal elections. Police are probing the motive as the country braces for high‑risk polling stations and a key power contest in KwaZulu‑Natal, with the MKP poised to challenge the ANC’s dominance.
In KwaZulu‑Natal, South Africa, an organizer of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party—Lastborn Shazi—was shot dead at his home while engaging in a Zoom call to coordinate the party’s upcoming campaign. The incident occurred just days before the province’s local government elections, stoking fears that the campaign season could become increasingly violent.
Senior police spokesman Robert Netshiunda announced that a murder investigation had been opened. "A murder investigation had been opened after Lastborn Shazi was shot dead late on Monday at his home while on a Zoom call coordinating the party’s election campaign," he told reporters.
South African police reported that during the municipal election period, 20 murders involving political representatives, party members and supporters had been recorded. The spike in killings has raised alarm among civic leaders and the international community that the electoral atmosphere may become unsafe for voters and politicians alike.
In response to the growing threat, President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered the deployment of more than 500 soldiers to KwaZulu‑Natal to support police efforts and help secure the voting process. The move comes as the region’s security environment remains volatile and election officials face challenges in maintaining public confidence in electoral integrity.
Police and the South African National Police Service have identified more than 165 polling stations in KwaZulu‑Natal as high‑risk. Election officials are working to ensure ample security presence at those sites, hoping to mitigate the risk that incidents like Shazi’s killing could deter people from exercising their voting rights.
On Wednesday, voters will elect councillors who will in turn elect mayors who will oversee municipal services such as water, sanitation and rubbish collection. The municipal elections represent the smallest electoral units in South Africa’s democratic system, yet the stakes are high because these councils bear responsibility for delivering essential services to daily citizens.
Recent opinion polls project that the uMkhonto weSizwe Party could become the largest party in the eThekwini metropolitan area, the province’s economic hub. If it achieves this position, it could displace the governing African National Congress from its long‑time hold within the city, signaling a shift in local political power.
The party is led by former President Jacob Zuma, who split from the ANC in 2023 to form the MKP. The break created a new opposition force that the ANC has fought to contain since the party’s creation.
Over the past two years, the MKP’s rise has gradually eroded the ANC’s support base, a trend that is evident in the 2024 national election results. As opposition parties consolidate, the upcoming municipal elections will serve as a key barometer of shifting civic allegiances in South Africa’s most populous provinces.
