The Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Candith Mashego-Dlamini has called for communities in Mpumalanga to speak out against escalating crimes in their areas.

During her visit to the province, where she embarked on a community engagement programme at the Ehlanzeni District Municipality, the Deputy Minister engaged with traditional leaders and churches to gain an understanding about the cause of violent crimes and other socioeconomic challenges facing the community.

The issues under discussion included human trafficking, teenage pregnancies, increasing violent behaviours, rising unemployment and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mashego-Dlamini said that men were behind many of the crimes, which she said were disruptive in families and the society.

During her engagement, she pleaded with traditional leaders to speak to men about their social behaviour.

“The rate of crime in this area is a deep sore and traditional leaders need to rise up against the social injustices in their communities, working with government and business owners. In communities like this one for example, a man will come to rent a room with a plain motive of committing crimes. From here on when a man moves into a community, the landlords need to introduce him to an Induna for future traceable purposes and safekeeping,” the Deputy Minister said.

She urged community members to report crimes and to work with police as witnesses, as this will assist in jail sentencing.

Mashego-Dlamini said she was also unsettled by reports of premature releases of convicted perpetrators and has vowed to take it up with the Department of Justice and Correctional Services.

“As a department we represent South Africa in the world but we are highly concerned that our own people are doing these crimes and are either getting away with their actions or serve a shorter sentence against what the law dictates,” she said.