An organiser from South Africa's opposition uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) was shot dead at his home in KwaZulu-Natal province on Monday night, just two days before the country's local government elections. Lastborn Shazi was on a Zoom call coordinating the party's election campaign when he was killed, senior police spokesman Robert Netshiunda said on Tuesday.
Police have opened a murder investigation and are investigating the motive. South African police reported last weekend that 20 murders involving political representatives, party members and supporters had been recorded.
The MKP is led by former President Jacob Zuma after a split with the governing African National Congress (ANC) in 2023. The party's rise helped erode the ANC's support in the 2024 national election. The ANC lost its parliamentary majority in 2024 and formed a unity government with the Democratic Alliance and smaller parties.
President Cyril Ramaphosa last week ordered the deployment of more than 500 soldiers to KwaZulu-Natal to support police. Police have identified more than 165 polling stations in the province as high-risk.
On Wednesday, voters will elect councillors, who will then choose mayors to oversee municipal services including water, sanitation and rubbish collection. Recent polls project the MKP could become the largest party in the closely contested eThekwini metropolitan area, the economic hub of KwaZulu-Natal, potentially displacing the ANC there. In the last municipal elections in 2021, the ANC lost control of several big cities and governs others through coalitions.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Political violence threatens the credibility of South Africa's local elections, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal where tensions between the ANC and MKP are high.
- The killing may deter voter turnout and heighten security concerns at polling stations.
- The MKP's expected strong performance in eThekwini could signal a continued shift away from ANC dominance at the local level.
Background
The African National Congress has governed South Africa since 1994, but its support has declined in recent years. The MKP was formed in 2023 by former President Jacob Zuma after a split with the ANC, and it quickly gained ground. In the 2024 national elections, the MKP contributed to the ANC losing its parliamentary majority for the first time. South Africa's local government elections are held every five years to elect municipal councils, which then choose mayors to oversee local services.
What to Watch
- The outcome of Wednesday's local elections, particularly whether the MKP wins control of the eThekwini metropolitan area.
- The police investigation into Shazi's murder and any arrests or findings on the motive.
- Whether the deployment of soldiers reduces violence or tensions on election day.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
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- SupportedAn opposition party organiser was killed days before South Africa’s local elections.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “An organiser from an opposition party has been killed in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province, raising concerns about political violence before Wednesday’s local government elections.”
- SupportedLastborn Shazi, identified as an MKP organiser, was shot dead at his home in KwaZulu-Natal.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Lastborn Shazi – identified by the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) – was shot dead late on Monday at his home”
- SupportedShazi was on a Zoom call coordinating the party’s election campaign when he was killed, according to senior police spokesman Robert Netshiunda, who spoke on Tuesday.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Senior police spokesman Robert Netshiunda said on Tuesday that a murder investigation had been opened after Lastborn Shazi – identified by the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) – was shot dead late on Monday at his home while on a Zoom call coordinating the party’s election campaign.”
- SupportedPolice have opened a murder investigation and are investigating the motive.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “a murder investigation had been opened ... Police are investigating the motive, Netshiunda said.”
- Partly supportedSouth African police said last weekend that 20 murders involving political representatives, party members and supporters had been recorded.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “South African police said last weekend that 20 murders involving political representatives, party members and supporters had been recorded during the municipal election period.”
- SupportedFormer President Jacob Zuma leads the MKP after a split with the ANC in 2023.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Former President Jacob Zuma leads the MKP after a bitter split with the ANC in 2023.”
- SupportedThe MKP’s rise helped erode the ANC’s support in the 2024 national election.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The party’s rise helped erode the ANC’s support in the 2024 national election.”
- SupportedThe ANC lost its parliamentary majority in 2024.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The ANC lost its parliamentary majority in 2024”
- SupportedThe ANC formed a unity government with the Democratic Alliance and smaller parties.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “formed a unity government with the Democratic Alliance (DA), the second-largest party, and smaller parties.”
- SupportedPresident Cyril Ramaphosa ordered more than 500 soldiers deployed to KwaZulu-Natal to support police.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Last week, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered the deployment of more than 500 soldiers to KwaZulu-Natal to support police”
- SupportedPolice have identified more than 165 polling stations in KwaZulu-Natal as high-risk.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “who have identified more than 165 polling stations in the province as high-risk.”
- SupportedRecent polls project the MKP could become the largest party in eThekwini and displace the ANC there.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Recent polls project the MKP to emerge as the largest party in the closely contested eThekwini metropolitan area – the economic hub of KwaZulu-Natal – and displace the governing African National Congress (ANC) there.”