NatJoints Reports 20 Political Murders During LGE 2026 Election Period, Only 7 Arrested
- NatJoints chairperson Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili revealed the murder toll at a briefing in Tshwane on 1 November 2026
- Police opened 139 election-related criminal cases and arrested 48 suspects across multiple provinces
- Gauteng recorded the highest number of political murders during the election period, followed closely by KwaZulu-Natal
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PRETORIA — Police have recorded 20 murders involving political representatives, party members and supporters during the 2026 local government election period, and made only seven arrests. This as President Cyril Ramaphosa condemned the escalating political killings ahead of the elections.
NatJoints chairperson Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili gave the figures at a briefing in Tshwane on Sunday, 1 November 2026, News24 and IOL reported.
"We remain particularly concerned about incidents involving the loss of life during the election period," Mosikili said.
Where the murders happened
Gauteng recorded seven murders, KwaZulu-Natal six, the Western Cape three and the Eastern Cape two. The Free State and North West recorded one each. The Political Killings Task Team and provincial and national detectives are prioritising the investigations, Mosikili said.
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139 election cases
Police have opened 139 election-related criminal cases and arrested 48 suspects. Of these, 69 cases are still under investigation, eight are with prosecutors for a decision, and 25 are on the court roll.
Electoral Act offences make up the biggest group, with 72 cases and 22 arrests. The rest include 14 assaults, 10 murders, 10 intimidation cases, eight cases of malicious damage to property, seven thefts and one attempted murder, according to IOL and Sowetan.
Rules for voting day
Mosikili said campaigning ends at midnight on Tuesday and that no campaigning, marches or demonstrations will be allowed on voting day, News24 reports. The SANDF is on standby to support police in hotspot areas. Special voting runs on Monday and Tuesday, 2 and 3 November, before Election Day on Wednesday, 4 November.
View SAPS's tweet about the political killings on X:
SAPS ready for elections: Masemola
In a related article, Briefly News reported on National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola’s assurances that police are prepared to protect voters during South Africa’s 4 November local government elections. He identified the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng as areas needing heightened attention.
The preparations come amid reports of councillors and political party members being killed in several provinces. Masemola said police deployments would increase as election day approaches, while South Africans raised questions online about whether the vote could be both safe and fair.
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Source: Briefly News
