The police in Mpumalanga have raised concerns over the high number of kangaroo courts in the province which they say result in people being killed. This comes after seven people were murdered in four separate incidents on Wednesday. All the victims are suspected to have committed crimes in the communities.

Among the victims, two were found lying in a pool of blood after allegedly being assaulted by a mob where they sustained multiple injuries on Wednesday. Mpumalanga SAPS spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli said their lifeless bodies were discovered at Mjejane (Hectorspruit) near Komatipoort around 11h30 am. In another incident, a 28-year-old victim's body was found with multiple injuries near a tavern in Marite at Ga-Bhereni village near Bushbuckridge. Mdhluli confirmed the incident. "The victim is suspected to have been attacked by some community members. Stones, bricks as well and sticks were also found next to the victim's body. Preliminary investigation by the police suggests that the victim might have been killed by a mob as well," Mdhluli said.

In another incident on the same day in Lydenburg, a 33-year-old victim succumbed to injuries upon arrival at the hospital on the same evening at around 7:30 pm. "Allegations are that he too was severely assaulted by a group of people at the Lydenburg Taxi Rank," Mdhluli said, adding that the police in Komatipoort responded to yet another mob justice incident at Mjejane where three people were burnt to death by some members of the public and their vehicle as well as a trailer were set alight. "Police are trying to establish whether this incident is not related to the one whereby two victims were killed in the same area earlier that day," he said. MEC for Community Safety in the province, Vusi Shongwe, condemned the incidents and urged communities to refrain from taking the law into their own hands. "We appreciate the efforts of communities in assisting police to fight and prevent crime. However, communities must report crimes and act as informants because they are not trained to apprehend crime suspects. Taking the law into their own hands is a criminal offence. Shongwe said.