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MK Party sends officials to South Coast after coordinator's murder

Published

Gunmen killed MK Party regional coordinator Lastborn Shazi on Monday night, and party officials are now heading to the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast. The killing comes a day before the 2026 local government elections on 4 November.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa hopes the second day of special voting goes more smoothly. Ballot deliveries ran late in Cape Town on the first day. Polling stations are expected to open at 8am.

Other stories on the day included the fraud case against Ekurhuleni municipal manager Kagiso Lerutla. His lawyers are considering an application to strike the case off the roll under Section 342A of the Criminal Procedure Act. They cite delays, including that representations made to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in September have no outcome yet.

Agricultural economist Wandile Sihlobo said South Africa's removal from AGOA does not mean the country will lose access to the US market. He said the move is not entirely unexpected, as South Africa already faced pressure in 2014 to move on from the arrangement.

Moscow's mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said Russian air defences downed nearly 500 drones headed for the capital. He said a flare-up in fighting with Ukraine dashed hopes of progress towards peace.

Key facts

Who
Electoral Commission of South Africa (election body hoping for smoother second day of special voting); Lastborn Shazi (MK Party regional coordinator, killed on Monday night); uMkhonto weSizwe (party whose officials are heading to the South Coast); Wandile Sihlobo (agricultural economist and presidential envoy)
What
The article is a news roundup of several separate stories: the IEC is hoping for a smoother second day of special voting after ballot delivery delays in Cape Town; MK Party officials are heading to the KZN South Coast after the party's regional coordinator, Lastborn Shazi, was gunned down on Monday night; South Africa's removal from AGOA is discussed by Wandile Sihlobo; Kagiso Lerutla's lawyers…
When
3 November 2026
Where
Cape Town, KwaZulu-Natal, South Coast
Status
Reported

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