The South African Police Service (SAPS) is investigating approximately 14 cases linked to the 2026 Local Government Elections, ranging from theft and intimidation, to incidents involving political party posters.
Speaking to the media during a doorstep interview on his arrival at the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) Results Operations Centre in Midrand on Wednesday, National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola said the cases are being investigated as police maintain security during the elections.
“Since yesterday, most of the cases are related to the elections -- either theft of ballot papers and intimidation, or fighting where there is intolerance among political party members,” Masemola said.
Masemola said police are also dealing with serious crimes, including murders reported in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.
He said areas identified as election hotspots include parts of eThekwini and uMkhanyakude in KwaZulu-Natal, as well as some areas in the Eastern and Western Cape.
Despite these concerns, the Commissioner said the elections have generally proceeded peacefully, with security arrangements in place to respond to incidents, where necessary.
In one incident in Amathole District Municipality, a protest over water-related grievances required police intervention. Masemola said the protest was dispersed to allow voting to continue.
While acknowledging the community’s right to raise concerns, Masemola stressed the need to ensure that the voting process is not disrupted.
He reiterated the importance of police officers remaining politically impartial during the elections.
He said officers are entitled to vote for the political party of their choice in their personal capacity but are not permitted to wear political party regalia while on duty, as this can compromise the perception of impartiality.
Citizens urged to exercise their democratic right
Meanwhile, Director-General in the Presidency Phindile Baleni called on South Africans to use their remaining time to vote, highlighting the direct impact of local government decisions on people’s daily lives.
She said municipal government is responsible for issues that directly affect communities, including water, electricity, roads, and local economic development.
“Firstly, local government is about the environment in which we live. It is about our livelihood. It is about the basics. It is about the water, electricity, the roads and the economy of the local areas in which we live,” Baleni said.
She said voting is both a democratic right and a responsibility, given the sacrifices made by those who fought for South Africa’s democracy.
“The right to participate in democracy comes with the responsibility to vote and therefore, it is important that we vote. Otherwise, if we do not vote, nobody will ever hear our voice, and the issues we care about will not be attended to,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za
