Knysna political tensions grow after two councillors killed within 24 hours

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Political tensions are rising in Knysna after the killings of former mayor and serving ANC councillor Aubrey Tsengwa, who was shot dead on Wednesday, 19 August, followed less than 24 hours later by the fatal shootings of former councillor Mandla Matiwane and local taxi forum secretary Mandla Tyololo.

The killings have heightened fears that the violence could deepen political instability in the town ahead of the local government elections. The three murders also take on an added significance when considering Knysnaâs history of political contestation and allegations of factional battles. There are also fears that this latest violence could signal a return to politically linked killings.

Warning

Western Cape Police Oversight MEC Anroux Marais said Tsengwaâs murder occurred during an âincreasingly sensitive political periodâ, warning that political violence threatened democracy, particularly while campaigning for the local government elections gathered momentum.

Tsengwa, a sitting ANC councillor and former mayor, was gunned down on 19 August in what appeared to be a targeted attack. Less than 24 hours later, former councillor Mandla Matiwane and ANC member Mandla Tyololo, secretary of the local taxi forum, were also killed.

The killings have fuelled speculation about a possible ANC factional issue, particularly as the day before Tsengwaâs murder, the party had planned a meeting to discuss candidate nominations for the 4 November elections.

The violence comes amid wider concern over attacks on councillors and municipal officials, with South African Local Government Association president Bheke Stofile warning that such killings posed a direct threat to democracy.

Xolisile Ngumbela, an assistant dean of teaching and learning in the Faculty of Management Sciences, Central University of Technology, writes in an opinion piece that one of the biggest risks to local democracy and government in South Africa is the ongoing murder of municipal councillors.

Knysna offers a particularly troubling backdrop to this pattern. The municipality has been mired in political instability and a prolonged service-delivery crisis, with water, sanitation and refuse collection repeatedly becoming flashpoints in the battle between rival political groupings.

SIU probe adds to Knysna political tensions

The killings have occurred at a particularly delicate moment for Knysna Municipality. Just 12 days before Tsengwa was gunned down, President Cyril Ramaphosa authorised a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into alleged irregularities in a municipal security tender dating back to 2017.

The SIU has been authorised to investigate Knysna Municipalityâs R68-million Tender T25 of 2023/24, a three-year contract for physical security services at municipal properties. The proclamation gives the unit a wide mandate to examine the procurement and implementation of the tender, including possible unfair procurement processes, improper conduct by officials or suppliers and related financial losses.

Significantly, the probe is not limited to the period when the tender was awarded. The proclamation allows the SIU to examine related conduct dating back to 8 December 2017 and up to 7 August 2026, potentially widening the scope beyond the specific security contract.

The proclamation followed concerns raised in an Auditor-General report and allows the SIU to investigate officials, employees, suppliers or other entities potentially linked to the alleged irregularities. However, the SIU has confirmed that its investigation into Tender T25 of 2023/24 has not yet begun. Knysna Municipality confirmed that it was cooperating with the SIU and had provided the unit with the documents and information requested.

Political violence fears grow

MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety Anroux Marais strongly condemned the âbrutal and senselessâ killing of Tsengwa.

âWhile the exact motive of this crime is still under investigation, it must be noted that Mr Tsengwaâs murder comes at an increasingly sensitive political period as we approach the local government elections. We must be vigilant against any form of political violence,â Marais said.

Her warning is significant because investigators have not yet established a political motive for Tsengwaâs killing.

But the timing of his death, followed by the killings of former councillor Matiwane and taxi forum secretary Tyololo within a matter of hours, has intensified concerns about whether Knysna could be heading towards a period of heightened political tension ahead of the elections.

The ANC in the Western Cape said it was âdeeply concerned and disturbedâ by what it described as the âgruesome and senseless shootingsâ in Knysna.

The party extended condolences to the families of slain comrades Tyololo and Matiwane, describing the killings as cowardly assassinations by criminals who were terrorising communities.

Call for specialised police units

According to ANC Western Cape spokesperson Sifiso Mtsweni, the provincial leadership had been in talks with provincial police leadership and the police minister in an effort to activate specialised units to urgently respond to the situation.

The party also called for the speedy arrest of the gunmen and the people behind the killings, while urging residents to remain calm and to provide police with information that could assist the investigations.

IEC calls for peaceful elections

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has placed the killing of Tsengwa against the wider political backdrop ahead of the local government elections.

Although the IEC has not linked Tsengwaâs murder to political violence and has stressed that SAPS must establish the motive and circumstances surrounding his killing, its emphasis on peaceful participation is significant. The timing of the killing, amid heightened political tensions in Knysna, has raised concerns about the potential for violence or intimidation to undermine the electoral environment.

IEC Western Cape provincial electoral officer Michael Hendrickse also highlighted the commissionâs support for the faith-based Electoral Code of Conduct Observers Commission and its interfaith partners, led by Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, in promoting peaceful and credible elections.

The initiative takes on added significance as the IEC calls on political parties and their members to help create conditions conducive to free and fair elections.

âThe IEC welcomes all initiatives that contribute to creating conditions and an atmosphere conducive to free, fair and peaceful elections. Ensuring such an environment is a shared responsibility, and it is incumbent on all sectors of society, particularly political parties and their members, to promote and uphold the principles of peaceful participation and respect for the electoral process,â Hendrickse said. DM

Reporting originally appeared via Daily Maverick. Read the full source for additional context.