JOHANNESBURG - As political parties intensify their campaigns to encourage voter registration, concerns are mounting over political violence.
Two councillors have been killed in Cape Town and Gqeberha.
Political analyst Professor Ntsikelelo Breakfast said the timing of the attacks raises questions about possible motives as government positions are often seen as economic opportunities, making them highly contested.
“I for one think that there is a strong nexus between what happened yesterday and political killings because normally when it's the electoral cycle, we see a lot of these incidents because local government has always been seen as a center of accumulation of mass wealth.
“Local government has always been seen as a terrain that gives one access to economic resources.
“But also, people who tend to commit these acts normally want to convey a message to those who are competing with them to back off so that they can have access to the council and then use the local space for purposes of accumulation.
Ward 27 councillor Sicelo Mleve was shot and killed by unidentified gunmen during a community meeting at a ward office in Zwide, Gqeberha.
Police said two armed men stormed the meeting, held about 10 people at gunpoint, and demanded their cellphones.
One suspect then shot the 45-year-old councillor several times before the gunmen fled on foot.
Nelson Mandela Bay Executive Mayor Babalwa Lobishe has expressed shock and sadness following Mleve’s death.
Lobishe described the killing as a senseless act that has robbed the community of a dedicated public servant.
A manhunt is underway, but the motive remains unknown.
The killing comes amid the IEC’s voter registration drive, raising difficult questions about local politics and safety in public spaces.
In Cape Town, Sinovuyo Dyokwe was returning home from this weekend’s voter registration drive when she was killed.
Dyokwe was the DA's candidate in the Dunoon by-election held in Cape Town in March.
The party has paid tribute to her, saying she played a pivotal role in expanding its support base in the area.
She contested the Ward 104 by-election, where the DA doubled its voter share to 16%.