Ramaphosa: police making progress on political killings in South Africa
The ANC president says police are making progress after several party members were killed ahead of local elections.
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South African president and ANC leader Cyril Ramaphosa says police are closing in on those responsible for recent political killings. He made the comments during the local election campaign, in which violence against party workers has once again raised concerns about democratic security.
According to EWN, Ramaphosa made the statement on Sunday during a campaign rally in Cape Town. The South African broadcaster EWN reported that he said police investigators were closing in on the perpetrators, but he gave no details in the public statement about suspects, arrests or possible charges.
The immediate trigger is a series of fatal attacks on ANC members. Two volunteers were killed last week during campaign activities in Umgababa, KwaZulu-Natal. Several days earlier, four members of the ANC Youth League were killed in Katlehong, in Gauteng province, as they left a memorial gathering.
The attacks are being investigated in the broader context of political intimidation surrounding elections. According to figures cited by the ANC, 43 people died in 45 suspected politically motivated attacks between January and September 2026. The figure comes from a party-political source and has not been independently confirmed by police or a court in the material provided.
Opposition parties are demanding greater accountability from the security services. They point to possible shortcomings in intelligence provision and want the acting Minister of Police and the leadership of the South African Police Service to explain themselves to parliament.
South Africa is holding local elections in a climate in which party politics, local power struggles and organised crime may intersect. The available sources do not establish who is behind the individual killings or what motive has been proven. Ramaphosa’s promise is therefore primarily a political undertaking; its value will depend on concrete arrests, prosecutions and protection for campaign workers.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Ramaphosa says police are making progress in recent murder cases.
- ANC members were killed in Umgababa and Katlehong.
- Opposition parties are calling for parliamentary accountability from the security services.
- The available sources have not established the perpetrators or motives.
Left
Arguments The state should better protect campaign workers and local activists and treat political killings as a threat to participation in democracy, not merely as individual criminal cases.
Values Equal political participation, protection of vulnerable communities and public accountability.
Consequences More independent oversight and protection could restore trust, but would require sustained investment in the police and local institutions.
Centre
Arguments The priority is demonstrable police investigation, prosecution and transparent reporting. Political accusations must not get ahead of the evidence.
Values The rule of law, institutional continuity and evidence-based government.
Consequences A careful approach can preserve legitimacy, but slow investigations may create the impression that the government is failing to act.
Right
Arguments The government must restore public order and take a tough approach to organised armed networks, regardless of party or ideology. Political campaigns must not be left to local power struggles.
Values Security, authority and the protection of citizens and property.
Consequences A stronger security response could deter violence, but without oversight there is a risk of abuse or the politicisation of the police.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
EWN described the current statements and the recent violent incidents mentioned; the broader figures and opposition criticism come from a separate source. The article makes clear which information is party-affiliated and which facts have not yet been legally established.
- confirmed Ramaphosa said on 18 October that police are making progress on recent political killings. — EWN published this on 18 October. source
- confirmed Two ANC volunteers were killed during campaign activities in Umgababa. — EWN mentions this incident in its report on Ramaphosa’s statement. source
- confirmed Four ANC Youth League members were killed in Katlehong. — EWN and Polity describe this incident. source
- uncertain Between January and September, 43 people died in 45 suspected political attacks. — This is a figure from an ANC statement quoted by Polity; the sources consulted contain no independent confirmation. source
Editor's note
The recent killings and Ramaphosa’s promise have been confirmed by two South African news sources. The figure of 43 deaths comes from an ANC statement and has therefore been marked as not independently verified; the perpetrators and motives are unknown.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- NRC — „zuid-afrika cyril ramaphosa”
- NU.nl — „zuid-afrika cyril ramaphosa”
- De Telegraaf — „zuid-afrika cyril ramaphosa”