Police are looking into 14 cases connected to the 2026 Local Government Elections, with incidents ranging from ballot paper theft to political party clashes and poster disputes.
National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola confirmed the investigations on Wednesday as he arrived at the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) Results Operations Centre in Midrand.
Theft and intimidation among reported cases
Most cases reported since Tuesday relate directly to the elections. These include stolen ballot papers, voter intimidation and physical altercations between members of different political parties who cannot tolerate one another, Masemola told journalists during a doorstep interview.
The police commissioner revealed that officers are also responding to serious crimes, with murders reported in both KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.
Police have identified several election hotspots across the country. These include parts of eThekwini and uMkhanyakude in KwaZulu-Natal, as well as certain areas in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape.
Water protest halts voting temporarily
In the Amathole District Municipality, police had to step in when a protest over water issues threatened to disrupt voting. Officers dispersed the crowd to allow people to cast their ballots.
Masemola acknowledged that communities have every right to raise their concerns but said the voting process cannot be disrupted.
The elections have largely proceeded peacefully, with security measures ready to handle incidents when they occur, the commissioner said.
Officers warned against showing political bias
Masemola reminded police officers that they must stay politically neutral during the elections. While they can vote for any political party in their personal capacity, they cannot wear political party clothing or accessories while on duty. Doing so would damage the public’s perception that police remain impartial.
Citizens encouraged to vote
Phindile Baleni, Director-General in the Presidency, urged South Africans to use the remaining time to vote. She stressed that local government decisions affect people’s daily lives more directly than any other level of government.
Municipal governments control services that matter most to communities, including water, electricity, roads and local economic development, Baleni said.
“Local government is about the environment in which we live. It is about our livelihood. It is about the basics,” she said.
Baleni described voting as both a democratic right and a responsibility, especially considering the sacrifices made by those who fought for South Africa’s democracy.
She warned that people who do not vote will not have their voices heard, and the issues they care about will not get attention.
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