South Africa Begins Special Voting Amid Rising Political Violence
President Cyril Ramaphosa urged citizens to vote in local elections as security officials reported a surge in political killings and municipal audit failures.
South Africa began its special voting phase on November 2, 2026, ahead of local government elections scheduled for Wednesday, November 4. Cyril Ramaphosa, the President of South Africa, called on registered voters to participate in what he described as one of the largest contests in the country's democratic history, featuring 546 political parties and nearly 137,000 candidates.
The electoral process is overshadowed by a significant increase in political violence. Tebello Mosikili of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure reported 20 deaths in election-related incidents, while the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime recorded 43 deaths in 45 political attacks between January and September. This represents a sharp increase from 23 killings during the same period the previous year. President Ramaphosa has called for those responsible for these killings to face justice.
Governance concerns also loom over the vote. Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke reported that only 39 of 257 municipalities received clean audits for the 2024-25 financial year, with no metropolitan municipalities achieving the standard. In response, Ramaphosa highlighted the Revised White Paper on Local Government, which proposes reforms to professionalize administration and improve municipal financial management. To safeguard the process, the South African Police Service has conducted risk assessments and operational planning.
