SALGA National Communicators Forum Violence in Democracy 27

SALGA National Communicators Forum Violence in Democracy 27 September 2018

ATTACKS ON COUNCILLORS & MUNICIPAL MANAGERS The torching of a councillor’s home in Uitenhage

ATTACKS ON COUNCILLORS & MUNICIPAL MANAGERS Torching of Mangaung Metro City Hall

ATTACKS ON COUNCILLORS & MUNICIPAL MANAGERS Cabinet Pronouncement on Killing of Councillors

ATTACKS ON COUNCILLORS & MUNICIPAL MANAGERS

ATTACKS ON COUNCILLORS & MUNICIPAL MANAGERS

STRATEGY OF PROTESTERS • • Prolonged and fruitless engagement with state officials Litigation through the court system Disruption The smoke that calls Burn to be heard Voting helps but violence works Spontaneously protest at the drop of a penny www. salga. org. za

INTIMIDATION & KILLING OF COUNCILLORS AND MUNICIPAL MANAGERS • If not curbed, councillor and municipal manager intimidation and killing could cause fragility of Local Government. • It is believed that most political killings and intimidations directed at Cllrs and MMs emanate from local rivalries (Duncan: 2010). • Positive change-motivated community members may be forced out of office or become less inclined to contest for public office. • This may leave the way wide open to unscrupulous citizens to contest for public office.

KILLING / INJURY OF COUNCILLORS (SINCE 2011 TERM OF OFFICE) PROVINCE KILLINGS 1. EASTERN CAPE 4 2. FREE STATE 3. GAUTENG 2 4. KWAZULU-NATAL 22 5. LIMPOPO 6. INJURIES DAMAGE TO PROPERTY 3 4 10 1 1 1 MPUMALANGA 4 2 12 7. NORTHERN CAPE 2 8. NORTH WEST 6 14 5 9. WESTERN CAPE 2 TOTALS 43 24 28

FINDINGS

FREQUENCY OF THREATS AGAINST COUNCILLORS

SOURCE OF THREATS AGAINST COUNCILLORS

TYPES OF THREATS MADE AGAINST COUNCILLORS (%)

REASONS THREATS WERE MADE AGAINST COUNCILLORS

ACTION TAKEN BY COUNCILLORS TO COUNTER THREATS

VIOLENCE AND THREATS HINDER PERFORMANCE OF DUTIES

INTIMIDATION AND VIOLENCE DISCOURAGE RUNNING FOR OFFICE?

FREQUENCY OF THREATS MADE AGAINST MUNICIPAL MANAGERS

TYPES OF THREATS EXPERIENCED BY MUNICIPAL MANAGERS

ACTION TAKEN BY MUNICIPAL MANAGERS TO COUNTER THREATS

OUTCOMES OF REPORTING THREATS

REMEDIAL ACTION TAKEN AFTER REPORTING THREATS

VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION ENCOURAGES RESIGNATION OF MUNICIPAL MANAGERS (%)

TRENDS IN COUNCILLOR KILLING, INJURIES/THREATS AND PROPERTY DESTRUCTION Councillor killings, injuries/threats and property destruction incidents (20002018) Violence tends to peak in the run up to local 2000 2001 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Killings 1 2 0 0 0 1 2 0 1 3 2 2 2 13 14 5 Injuries / threats 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 9 0 7 0 5 11 6 Destruction of properties / assets 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 8 1 6 6 8 12 1 Source: SALGA & IEC www. salga. org. za

BY ELECTIONS DUE TO DEATH AND RESIGNATION (2007 -2016) Councillor Vacancy Due to Death and Resignation (2007 -2016) Please note the reverse tracking between resignation and death. Deaths appear to decline when resignations rise around election periods. National elections Resignation Death 2007 19 41 2008 35 39 2009 75 52 LG Elections 2010 32 53 2011 42 12 National elections 4 th National ANC Policy Conference 2012 26 49 2013 60 33 2014 47 36 LG Elections 2015 31 39 2016 10 42 Source: IEC www. salga. org. za

STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS South African Police Service & Judicial System: • Improved safety and security is essential in addressing the scourge • Improve threat assessments processes. • Investigations must be conducted without fear or favour, or any interference. • The rate of successful prosecution of councillor and municipal manager killings must be raised. • Turn councillor and municipal manager killings into priority crimes.

STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS (Cont’) Municipalities • The gaps in access to SASRIA Insurance must be assessed and municipalities without the cover must be encouraged to ensure that such coverage is obtained and extended to councillors and municipal managers. • Trauma counselling facilities and employee assistance programmes to assist those who have been threatened to cope may be instituted where such services are not presently available. – The counteraction of psychological damage created by threats and intimidation cannot be underestimated, even though the general tenor of social interaction tends towards violent dispute resolution.

STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS (Cont’) Capacity Building – municipalities & their constituencies • Training initiatives to better manage conflict. • Civil society and community based organisation could be used as possible conduits of community intelligence and accountability. • Promote the use of data intelligence to facilitate conversations between councils and their constituents to improve accountability and transparency and trust.

STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS Capacity Building – municipalities & their constituencies • Development of a safety and security manual for councillors: – The manual should cover what to do in the event of a threat and what to avenues are open to safeguard offices and homes from potential assassins or intimidation and threats from disgruntled colleagues and community members. • Councillor and municipal manager killing and intimidation database be developed

Thank you