Is political violence in local government a threat to South Africa's democracy?

South Africa is experiencing a rise in local government-related political violence directed at municipal councillors and officials. Threats, intimidation, malicious damage to property and political assassinations sometimes under the pretext of service delivery protests are of serious concern to the local government sector and the country. From 2000 to the end of 2018, 89 councillors were victims of political killings. Most of these occurred in KwaZulu-Natal and more specifically in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality.