"I say so because indeed many of the social behaviours that lead to crime are often inspired by some form of belief," Radebe said on Sunday, speaking at a conference on mob justice, fraud and corruption awareness in Port Elizabeth.
"In as much as apartheid itself was inspired by the belief of racial superiority, likewise the struggle against it was without doubt inspired partly by a spiritual belief on the shared values of a humane world."
He said government had effective laws and have put in place strong measures to "counteract any form of vigilantism".
The public should trust the courts and the justice system and not resort to vigilantism or mob justice. Communities and churches should report crime to the necessary authority, he added.
"Churches provide a useful platform to engage the church community using faith, to denounce crime and corruption but most importantly to ensure that our communities do not become havens of known criminals," he said.
"Corruption in cancerous and eats away the fruit of our hard earned democracy for which many have laid down the lives."
He said it was important that the religious sector and church groupings work with government and other organs of state. The church has a duty to ensure they instil a sense of responsible adulthood in communities, Radebe said. – Sapa