In South Africa, municipal elections collide with solidarity for Gaza

On 4 November, millions of South Africans will head to the polls to elect municipal councils, choosing representatives tasked with keeping the water running, collecting rubbish and fixing potholes. But amid deteriorating infrastructure, rising costs, and frustration with local government, Israel’s genocide in Gaza has become another dividing line for some voters preparing to cast their ballots next week. Although South Africa took Israel to the highest court of the United Nations, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in December 2023, on the charge of violating the genocide convention in the Gaza Strip, not every political party supports the case or agrees with the characterisation of genocide.