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A survey on political violence has pinpointed the ANC as being involved in most of the 100 political attacks tracked since 2013.
KwaZulu-Natal remains the battleground where many of these violent scenes are playing out.
This is according to the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) public violence monitor.
The institute, along with the manager for the crime and justice information hub, Lizette Lancaster, will this week release a comprehensive survey on election-related violence.
The data the survey is based on was captured from January 2013 to last month.
Figures shared with City Press this week show that KwaZulu-Natal accounted for 44 attacks that led to the killing of 48 people.
ANC national executive committee member and head of elections Nomvula Mokonyane had indicated in recent weeks that the situation in KwaZulu-Natal was concerning.
Police Minister Nathi Nhleko had established a task team to look into the cause of the violence, but has since remained mum on any progress made by the team.
The province has been a political battleground since the early 90s, when the ANC and the Inkatha Freedom Party were the protagonists.
But now, the killings are happening among comrades turned enemies, with positions being the bone of contention.
In April, four men were shot execution-style at a hostel in KwaMashu, while ANC councillor Zodwa Sibiya was murdered at notorious Glebelands Hostel in Umlazi, south of Durban. Both incidents were believed to be politically motivated.
This week, speaking at the ANC’s countdown to victory event held in Johannesburg, President Jacob Zuma repeated the sentiment that political infighting was simply democracy at work. He added that “families fight and the ANC is a big family”.
Meanwhile, the ISS has placed Gauteng – where 18 attacks have happened to date, resulting in six deaths – at number two.
This is followed by the Eastern Cape, Limpopo, the Western Cape, Mpumalanga, North West and the Northern Cape.
The latest figures come during a tumultuous election period for the ANC as it had to deal with members revolting against the party’s councillor nominations process.
A leaked report from the department of state security indicated concern that the violence could compromise this year’s elections.
