Political killings in South Africa

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the persistence of political killings in post-apartheid South Africa, noting a high concentration of these incidents in KwaZulu-Natal and a low rate of criminal convictions.

• Political killings in post-apartheid South Africa are overwhelmingly concentrated in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), which accounts for more than 90% of such incidents. Since 1994, KZN has seen possibly 450 or more political killings, with a notable increase occurring during 2011 and 2012.
• The nature of political violence has shifted from the apartheid era, where it included massacres, open clashes, and 'necklacing' resulting in 14,000 deaths between 1990 and April 1994, to current patterns characterized primarily by targeted 'assassinations' stemming from local conflicts and rivalries.
• The criminal justice response to political killings is viewed as ineffective, with an estimated conviction rate of less than 10%. Out of roughly 120 political killings since 2003, there have been at least 10 convictions: seven in KwaZulu-Natal, two in Mpumalanga, and one in North West.
• Mpumalanga is the second most associated province for political killings, with approximately 14 deaths since 1998. However, the problem appears to have subsided there, with no killings receiving public attention since 2011.
• Political killings have also occurred in the North West province, including the 2009 killing of ANC councillor and anti-corruption whistleblower Moss Phakoe and the December 2012 killing of ANC regional secretary Obuti Chika.
• The high value placed on political office in South Africa, driven by a lack of historical assets and educational qualifications among the emergent political class, contributes to 'intra-elite conflict' and rivalries, particularly within the ANC.
• The persistence of killings in KwaZulu-Natal is linked to the growth of paramilitary forces since the mid-1980s used for territorial control, which has fostered an 'assassination industry' particularly within the taxi industry, sometimes protected by police elements.

APA

Bruce, D. (2014). Political killings in South Africa. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PolBrief64.pdf

Chicago

Bruce, David. Political killings in South Africa. Institute for Security Studies, 2014. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PolBrief64.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bruce |first1=David |title=Political killings in South Africa |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=October 2014 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PolBrief64.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bruce2014political, author = {Bruce, David}, title = {{Political killings in South Africa}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2014}, month = oct, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PolBrief64.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }