Three politicians from different political parties have been killed in separate incidents, two of which occurred in Cape Town, as the country prepares for the 2026 Local Government Elections.
The DA, ANC, and Build One SA (BOSA) have each announced the deaths of party representatives on Saturday evening, following a day of voter registration campaigns by the Electoral Commission and political parties across the country.
The latest victim, BOSA ward candidate Leon Ngcikwe, was shot and killed in Gugulethu on Saturday night. His death occurred on the same day as the killings of DA ward candidate Sinovuyo Dyokwe in Du Noon, and ANC ward councillor Sicelo Mleve in Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape.
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The African National Congress (ANC) is shocked and deeply saddened by the brutal murder of Comrade Sicelo Mleve, a Ward 27 Councillor in Nelson Mandela Bay and a member of the ANC Nelson Mandela Regional Executive Committee.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Mleve… pic.twitter.com/Q82A1vUiFb
— ANC – African National Congress (@MYANC) June 21, 2026
According to a BOSA statement, Ngcikwe was attacked after dropping off activists who had been participating in campaign and voter registration activities.
In connection with his killing, Western Cape SAPS confirmed that Gugulethu police are investigating murder and attempted murder cases following a shooting in NY6. Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg said a 37-year-old man was fatally wounded while a 21-year-old man sustained a gunshot wound to the leg.
“Upon arrival at the hospital the members were informed that the 37 year old male was declared deceased… The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation and no arrests have been made yet,” said Twigg.
The party described Ngcikwe as “a dedicated community leader and a committed activist” whose loss would be felt across Gugulethu and among those who worked alongside him.
“South Africa cannot continue to normalise violence and lawlessness. Every day, communities across our country are torn apart by violent crime, leaving families shattered and neighbourhoods living in fear. Leon’s death is a painful reminder of the devastating human cost of a crime crisis that has been allowed to spiral out of control,” read the BOSA statement.
Meanwhile, the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) has expressed concern over what it describes as a growing pattern of political violence around election periods.
Further to the mentioned incidents, SALGA spokesperson Motalatale Modiba also noted that two men affiliated with a political party were also killed in the West Rand. He believes these recent incidents are not isolated.
“Data from SALGA’s Municipal Violence Incident Reporting (MVIR) system shows that hundreds of incidents – ranging from threats and intimidation to killings – have been recorded since 2000 to date in the local government sphere, with heightened incidents during election periods,” said Modiba.
Like the ANC, DA and BOSA, SALGA has condemned this violence and has called for law enforcement agencies to prioritise stronger measures to curb political killings, such as urgent investigations, increased police visibility in hotspots and swift prosecutions.
“Political violence undermines the foundations of our democracy. It creates fear, discourages citizens from serving in public office, and erodes the integrity of electoral processes. No one should ever lose their life simply for participating in democratic activities.”
