Church Leaders Across Mpumalanga urged to strengthen security measures

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Mpumalanga’s MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Jackie Macie, is calling on church leaders across the province to beef up security measures and tighten safety protocols to better protect both themselves and their congregations.

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This appeal comes in the wake of a spate of robberies targeting places of worship in

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Bushbuckridge and Kwamhlanga. Two businesses linked to churches were robbed within the

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Calcutta policing precinct during services, while a third incident took place at Kwamhlanga

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during a night vigil on Friday, 29 August 2025, at approximately 23:00.

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Speaking on the matter, Macie urged churches to take proactive steps to safeguard their

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premises

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“The recent attacks are a clear indication of moral decay in our society. We must all work

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together by reporting suspects to the police,” Mr Macie said. “These three robberies show

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that more still needs to be done to secure our communities. Our men and women in blue must remain undiscouraged in their efforts to bring perpetrators to justice.”

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He added that churches should not view these incidents in isolation but as a call to always strengthen safety measures, particularly during night services and large gatherings.

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