JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng — As South Africa braces for upcoming local government elections, the escalating crisis of political killings in South Africa has drawn urgent warnings from political analyst Professor Sipho Seepe, who emphasizes that targeted violence threatens the very foundation of the nation’s democracy.
According to recent research data, there have been 188 political killings across 12 political parties since 2010. The African National Congress (ANC) accounts for the highest number of fatalities, with 110 members killed during this period. With the electoral cycle approaching, Professor Seepe warns that the situation will deteriorate further unless decisive action is taken by political leadership.
Professor Seepe identifies the root of the violence as a combination of interparty and intraparty rivalry. He notes that contesting for positions often leads to individuals undermining opponents within their own ranks, driven by a fierce battle for political turf. This dynamic is exacerbated by systemic poverty and unemployment, where securing an elected position is viewed not only as a public service but as a critical five-year source of income.
A significant driver of this physical violence, Professor Seepe argues, is the rhetorical violence employed by leadership. When political figures refer to rivals as “enemies” rather than “political opponents,” and rely on insults, they breed a culture of intolerance. “Insults themselves are a form of violence,” Professor Seepe noted, stressing that party leaders must be seen as intolerant of emotive and hostile language. He called for a renewed commitment to a language of accommodation, reminding citizens that they are all patrons of the country who must not allow political differences to devolve into enmity.
Furthermore, Professor Seepe highlighted a critical gap in the nation’s healing process. While much emphasis has been placed on reconciliation between Black and White South Africans, he pointed out that there has been “very little reconciliation” within the Black community and among Black political parties. He urged African political leaders to lead by example, demonstrating that it is possible to “disagree without being disagreeable.”
The call for intervention is growing louder. The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has recently called on the political killings task team to intervene, particularly following two recent assassinations of IFP members in KwaZulu-Natal. This comes amid a documented spike in targeted killings since May of this year.
Professor Seepe gave an emphatic endorsement to the deployment of the South African Police Service (SAPS) political killings task team. He clarified that these acts are not random criminality, but highly targeted operations. The modus operandi of a specialized task team allows investigators to look holistically at the broader circumstances surrounding a murder. Rather than focusing solely on the victim and the direct perpetrator, investigators can identify “persons of interest,” such as handlers, mediators, and the masterminds giving orders. This comprehensive approach is essential to dismantling the entire ecosystem of violence and nipping the crisis in the bud.
When asked about immediate solutions to protect members on the ground, Professor Seepe reiterated that the primary responsibility lies within the parties themselves. Leaders must actively entrench a culture of tolerance in how campaigns are contested, ensuring that vigorous competition does not birth enmity.
He also pointed to historical precedent as a source of hope. During the highly volatile periods of 1993 and 1994, South Africa managed to curb severe political violence through dedicated political engagement and by ensuring that law enforcement did its job. Professor Seepe concluded that with committed political leadership and decisive policing, the current wave of targeted assassinations can be stopped before it further undermines the democratic process.
