Full Breakdown
Violence and Legal Battles Shape South Africa’s November Local Elections
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Fatal Shootings of ANC Members and Constitutional Court Ruling
Two African National Congress (ANC) volunteers were shot dead during a door-to-door campaign in Umgababa, south of Durban, on Thursday. The attack follows a shooting two days earlier that left four ANC members dead as they left a memorial service in Katlehong, southeast of Johannesburg. A separate incident three weeks before the polls saw a gunman kill four ANC Youth League members at a memorial service. On the same day as the Umgababa killings, South Africa’s Constitutional Court ruled in favour of the ANC, ordering the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to place 181 of the party’s candidates on the ballot for the November 4 local government elections.
Background & Context
The ANC, the liberation movement that has governed South Africa since the end of apartheid in 1994, lost its outright majority in the 2024 national election and entered a coalition government. Voter dissatisfaction has been linked to corruption, deteriorating infrastructure and rising political violence. The upcoming local elections are the first since the party’s loss of majority and will determine councilors in hundreds of municipalities.
Timeline
- August 28 – The IEC’s online nomination system required a “Submit as Final” click; the ANC missed this step.
- October 15 – The Constitutional Court set aside the IEC’s exclusion of the 181 candidates and ordered their inclusion on the ballot.
- October 14 – The IEC announced 678,000 approved home-visit special-vote applications, a 33 % rise from 2021.
- November 2-3 – Special voting will take place.
- November 4 – Local government elections.
Data & Statistics
- Fatal shootings: 2 volunteers killed (Umgababa), 4 members killed (Katlehong), 4 youth league members killed; 3 additional ANC members injured.
- Political killings in 2024-2025: 43 people reported killed in attacks with suspected political links, according to the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime.
- Candidate reinstatement: 181 ANC candidates cleared for six municipalities.
- Ballot production: 79 million ballots required; 66 % printed, completion expected by October 18.
- Special votes approved: 2.6 million total (131 % increase over 2021), including 678 000 home-visit applications.
Official Statements & Responses
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula said the court decision was a crucial relief for the party after sleepless nights. The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomed the ruling but warned it could undermine compliance with IEC deadlines. IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo highlighted the importance of special voting for equal voter opportunity and noted that ballot re-printing will be required in the affected municipalities, adding cost pressures.
On-the-Ground Reports
Residents of Umgababa reported repeated gunfire around 2 p.m. on the day of the shooting, describing the ANC volunteers as ambushed by unknown gunmen while campaigning.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Police have not disclosed a motive for either the Umgababa or Katlehong attacks, and no arrests have been reported. The suspect in the Katlehong shooting surrendered, but authorities have not explained the reason for the surrender or the underlying cause of the violence.
What’s Next
The IEC will reprint ballots for the six municipalities where the ANC candidates were reinstated, aiming to finish printing by October 18. Special-vote polling is scheduled for November 2-3, followed by the municipal elections on November 4. The commission also intends to finalize a cooperation framework with major tech platforms on October 20 to combat election-related disinformation. No change to the election timetable has been announced despite the ongoing legal challenges.