Ongoing

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Newsbrief

Shootings across Cape Town leave 4 dead in election week

Published

Ongoing: Elections Hot

Police said some of the attacks are linked to gang and taxi violence, while they still investigate the motives for others. Only one suspect has been arrested so far.

More than 9 people have been shot across Cape Town since Wednesday's election. Four people died in 5 separate shooting incidents. The areas affected include Athlone and Delft.

The youngest victims were a 16-year-old male, who was killed, and a 17-year-old female, who was injured. Both were shot in Athlone. Police arrested one suspect in connection with one of the shootings.

Key facts

Who
Western Cape police (police cracking down on Cape Town taxi violence)
What
Deadly shootings continued across Cape Town during election week, with police saying some attacks are linked to gang and taxi violence while the motives for others are still being investigated. The youngest victims were a 16-year-old male killed and a 17-year-old female injured, both in Athlone, and only one suspect has been arrested.
When
6 November 2026
Where
Cape Town, Athlone, Delft
Status
Reported

Elections Hot

What you need to know

Counting in the 2026 local government elections continues, and the Electoral Commission will declare final results on Sunday. The ANC has lost ground in several areas: in Buffalo City it fell to 41% from 59% in 2021 with all votes counted, leaving the council hung.

In the Western Cape, the ANC had won none of the 21 councils with results in, with about 13% support. The DA appears to have won majority control in Cape Town, and leader Geordin Hill-Lewis said the party will now turn to metros in other provinces.

The DA's Grant Twigg said the weekend would go to coalition talks, as 16 Western Cape councils are hung.

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US mid-terms Heating up

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Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in the US midterm elections on 3 November, with at least a 54-44 Senate majority and at least 30 House seats gained. Exit polls showed voters angry about high prices and the direction of the country, and the result was a rebuke of President Donald Trump.

Trump said the Iran war was needed to stop Tehran getting a nuclear weapon, but admitted it contributed to Republican losses, while Vice-President JD Vance said the war was the reason. Markets reacted, with the JSE All Share Index rising almost 5% on 5 November and Brent crude falling below $100 a barrel as investors hoped for an end to the war.

Earlier, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the result would introduce a new era in world relations, while some leaders warned of political gridlock in Washington.

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