Deputy President Paul Mashatile concluded his year-end Q&A in the House on Thursday with some apparent side-stepping on the festering crisis in Mozambique.

Taking questions in the National Council of Provinces on Thursday, Deputy President Paul Mashatile said Pretoria was "not aware of any human rights violations" by the governments of neighbouring Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

This is despite Mozambique facing its worst post-election violence to date, with protests continuing in the southern African country, sometimes violently suppressed by security forces, after claims of massive fraud in the 9 October legislative and presidential elections.

Regional bodies like the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU) have been called on by activists and human rights organisations to intervene in the post-election unrest in the country.

"We, through our diplomatic engagements and as part of SADC, continue to engage with our sister countries on a variety of issues, including socioeconomic development and broader management," Mashatile told delegates.

"We know too well that lack of stability in the SADC region has an impact on the South African economy; hence, through our diplomatic channel, we are engaging with the people of Mozambique to find a lasting solution to the current situation as a result of the recent election."

Mashatile said South Africa continued "to call for calm and utmost restraints while urging all political...