KZN Premier Reveals 18 Councillors Assassinated Since 2021

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli disclosed that at least 18 municipal councillors have been assassinated in the province since the 2021 local government elections, including 5 in eThekwini Municipality alone. The revelation followed the murder of eThekwini councillor Sibusiso Khwela, shot by a lone gunman in his Klaarwater office on 6 August. Ntuli said political killings 'rob our communities of the opportunity to receive speedy and effective service delivery' and called for calm ahead of the November 4 local elections. The Political Killings Task Team is investigating; seven suspects have been arrested in connection with a wider series of politically motivated murders recorded nationally since January 2026.