In brief
Special voting opens in Johannesburg with 2.65 million approved applications and 94% of stations up and running, but security officials report dozens of killings linked to the lucrative nature of municipal posts. An audit report shows only 39 of 257 municipalities cleared a clean audit, underscoring mounting pressure on local governance.
Johannesburg, Nov. 2 — South Africa entered a special voting phase for local government elections Monday, with security officials warning of rising violence and elections amid scrutiny of municipal finances.
Security officials highlighted the importance of safeguarding the electoral process, noting that 20 people had been killed in election‑related incidents involving political representatives, party members and supporters, and that seven arrests had been made in connection with the killings. Tebello Mosikili, chairperson of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure, said Sunday that the state remained particularly concerned about the loss of life during the election period and called for elections to be conducted in a peaceful and secure environment.
"We remain particularly concerned about incidents involving the loss of life during the election period,"
The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime recorded at least 43 people killed in 45 political attacks between January and September 2026, compared with 23 political killings over the same period last year. Analysts say violence is often tied not only to political differences but also to the considerable influence and economic benefits associated with municipal positions. A ward councillor earns more than 25,000 rand – about US 1,500 – a substantial income in a country where the official unemployment rate stands at around 33 percent and the national minimum wage is nearly 6,000 rand.
While the elections are a focus of security concern, the political debate is also driven by financial oversight. Auditor‑General Tsakani Maluleke reported in June that 39 of South Africa’s 257 municipalities attained clean audits for the 2024‑25 financial year, but none of the country’s eight metropolitan municipalities met that standard. The audit results have intensified demands for improvement in municipal governance.
Special voting opens amid logistical challenges
Special voting for the local elections began with 2.65 million applications approved and 94 percent of polling stations opening on time, authorities said Monday. Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Masego Sheburi reported that the process had started off well nationwide, although some delays were recorded in parts of Cape Town. By 10:30 a.m., ten of the 116 wards in the city had yet to open voting stations.
Delays in Cape Town were linked to a Constitutional Court ruling that required the reprinting of 33 million ballot papers, as the court ordered the reinstatement of previously excluded African National Congress councillor candidates on the ballot. The Electoral Commission of South Africa is working to resolve the delays and ensure that all approved voters had an opportunity to cast their ballots.
During the early hours of voting, two incidents involving election officials were reported. An IEC official was involved in a road accident in KwaZulu‑Natal Province, while another official collapsed and died in the North West Province earlier that day.
IEC Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo said voting stations would remain open from 8 a.m. (GMT 0.600) to 5 p.m. (GMT 1.500) on Monday and Tuesday. He added that officials would conduct home visits for approximately 678,000 voters who had applied for special voting on grounds of physical infirmity or advanced age, urging those registered for home visits to remain at the addresses provided, noting that no second visit would be made if a voter was absent.
As the election proceeds, the combination of heightened security concerns, economic pressures on municipal offices and logistical difficulties underscores a complex landscape for South Africa’s local democracy.