South Africa: IEC complaint filed over xenophobic smear in Joburg local election

A complaint has been lodged with South Africa's Independent Electoral Commission alleging that Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma and Operation Dudula violated the Electoral Code of Conduct by targeting Joburg councillor candidate Aziz Ally with xenophobic rhetoric. The incident, involving attacks on Ally and a Somali volunteer, marks an escalation in election-related xenophobia ahead of the 2026 local elections. The IEC's response will test enforcement of electoral conduct rules.