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John Moches daughter, Masego, wipes away the tears of her mother, Brenda, at his memorial service. Photo: Sizwe Ndingane
At an emotionally charged memorial service after the murder of internationally renowned South African dermatologist, Dr John “Oupa” Moche, the head of the South African Medical Association (Sama) has called for a robust debate on the return of the death penalty.
Moche, Steve Biko Academic Hospital’s dermatology department head and one of SA’s 166 dermatologists, was gunned down last Friday in a hijacking in Riviera.
The doctor and a nurse he was dropping off at home were sitting in his new Range Rover when two attackers shot Moche in the heart before speeding off in his vehicle.
The car was later found abandoned in Atteridgeville.
Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said no arrests have been made. The investigation was spearheaded by several high ranking police officers.
As hundreds of mourners – including some of the country’s leading medical minds and government officials – filled the University of Pretoria’s Normal Hall in Groenkloof on Thursday, Sama chairman, Dr Norman Mabasa, called for a robust debate on the death penalty.
“This country is under siege. The number of people who die at the hands of criminals is higher than in countries embroiled in civil wars or from natural disasters.
“Crime has become so bad that soon we are going to have to put burglar bars around our beds,” he said, hammering home his point.
Mabasa said while crime statistics made the country’s decreasing murder rate look good, it was not.
“Why are we rejoicing when there are a thousand fewer people murdered? Surely we don’t think the decrease is because criminals are lazy?” he asked.
The country’s citizens should be gauging the success in the fight against crime by the number of cases, “especially murders” being solved, Mabasa said. “What has happened to the cases of the country’s murdered doctors, nurses and medical practitioners? We must demand why these and other murders are not being solved.
“We cannot allow this killing with impunity to continue.
“Kill and you will be killed. This is the message that needs to be sent out,” said Mabasa.
Moche’s wife and two young children sat wiping away tears as pictures of his life, graduation and family outings wereshown on slide screens.
Friends and colleagues sang his praises, calling Moche a “true son of Africa devoted to duty”.
“There was no other like him. His drive and passion for serving the poor and ordinary South Africans was unprecedented”, said Professor Deepak Modi, Witwatersrand University dermatology department head and chief specialist.
Praising his close friend, Modi said Moche was the best student Wits had had the pleasure of training.
“He would have become the country’s leading dermatologist and was to be an esteemed professor, who was a true gentleman.
“He was always the first at work and the last to leave and gave his everything to his work,” he said.
Dr Robert Weiss, SA Dermatology Society president, said the murder had caused irreparable damage to the country.
“South Africa had up until now only 166 dermatologists, of which 100 are in private practice, with a large number either having retired or left the country, leaving a minority to treat over 50 million people.
“John was one of those few individuals who was truly dedicated to providing better health care to all South Africans. It takes a truly special person to take this kind of job and John was one of those people.
“He was a true gem who was prepared to get involved in community work, who had knowledge beyond the books,” he said.
Gauteng Health MEC Ntombi Mekgwe said it was a dark day in the country’s health sector.
“(South Africa has) been robbed of an asset and is poorer for this heinous crime which has stolen (from us) a new breed of young professional dedicated to the greater good of our people.” - Pretoria News
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Anonymous, wrote
There are many modern methods of determining the identity of a killer or rapist (it might as well be murder) - positive dna results can be used to convict criminals. If Mr ABC's semen is found in a rape victim why can he not be put to death? If skin cells are found on a rope used to bind a victim, why can that not be used to convict. Or is South Africa's forensic service so backward and underfunded that our politicians greed is actually allowing the guilty to go free. Its a truly disgusting state of affairs.
Ron's N, wrote
Crime s getting out of hand , yes the death penalty should be brought back . Our ANC should learn something from bosses in China. death sentence for drug smugglers no they are fighters for human rights but are stealing left right and centre from the taxpayers this government should give up on their FALSE MORALITY and start ruling properly
Anonymous, wrote
@ Anonymous 8:05pm - You're an idiot. And probably a highjacker with your mindset. Go back to school and learn something before you make a fool of yourself again. Maybe next time it will be someone you love shot in the head for their bicycle and then lets see how smart you are.
Anonymous, wrote
@ Anonymous 10:53 - Then give an alternative? The people are sick and tired of being prisoners in a "free" country. We are sick and tired of living in fear, behind barbed wire and spikes. There is no alternative but to hang these animals. If innocent people are wrongly put down by the state thats the price we will pay because at the moment thousands of innocent people are being killed every month in this crime ridden place. The needs of the many must outweight the needs of the few. If 5 people are wrongly convicted but the death penalty has saved 1000 lives by detering criminals then so be it.
Anonymous, wrote
We have bars round our houses, we arent allowed to carry weapons to protect ourselves, we have no police force at all except those that seek to bribe and corrupt. We are living like criminals while the real criminals roam free without any worry of being caught and if they are they either pay to go free or go to court and get let out on R200 bail and disappear only to murder, rape and steal again. We need the death penalty to send a message to these criminals that their punishment will fit their crime. We need to instill fear into the criminals as they have instilled fear into us for the last 16 years. The problem is politicians with their tax funded guards and secure houses don't see crime and ignore the pleas of the people. Next we will be charged a crime tax becasue govt. cant afford to train police as parties are more important
correspondent, wrote
violet, wrote
The problem with the death penalty is that it leaves no wiggle room in the case of an error in conviction. In America, studies have shown that as many as 30% of Death Row inmates are actually innocent of the crimes for which they were convicted. What do you do when you find out the wrong man has been convicted? If he is serving life in prison, you can let him go. But if you have already executed him, what now? Tell his widow and kids "Oops!!"?
rotten, wrote
Anonymous, wrote
Sorry that the doctor was murdered. However, suddendly the death penalty is being called for because he was a prominent black doctor. Why didn't they have the death penalty all along for all the people of SA who have been raped, tortured or murdered? I hope that there is finally some deterent because the country is under seige from criminals.
HelpThis country, wrote
Anonymous, wrote 05:17pm on 3 February 2012 "yes I am a legal person that are involved in Courts for over 26 years." Oh, YOU IS, IS YOU? Scary thought that you is probably one of dem you is worried about, judging by your educashun, but not unexpected.
Anonymous, wrote
It's amazing that when one man with a 'status' got killed by thugs, people think about death penalty. How many victims out there who are not so fortunate to get their story to the media? How many cases that have the police have put under the carpet in South Africa. I lived in Pietermaritzburg, and filed more than 5 cases, nothing was ever done by the Pietermartizburg police. Nothing! Zill. I am glad that I am out of South Africa, I hate the damn country, there is no justice, the case only gets the well deserved attention if you are well known or may be you are rich. If you are poor, forget it. It is sad that this Dr died, I feel very sorry for the family. South Africa is going down the drain. More people are living the country and believe me, I have no intentions of coming back ever again.
Tertia Moller, wrote
Please, please, please, for the sake of all the innocent people out there that become victims of murderers and rapists : Please bring back the noose.
Anonymous, wrote
When doctors promote killing and to make murderers by proxy of all South Africans, they shame themselves, their profession, and their country, with their cheap, sensationalist, simplistic, and ignorant politicking. The death penalty is inherently wrong, and can never be justified while there is the possibility of a wrongful conviction, whether through error, malice (as in several US cases where proven malfeasance on the part of forensic staff has vitiated convictions), or political manipulation. One cannot cure a violent and murderous society with more violence and more murder.
Nick, wrote
Anonymous, wrote
if it was a white doctor and a white outcry - eish you tendancy whites.... go beek to urope, dis ez mzanzi
Anonymous, wrote
Anonymous, wrote
We have to realise as South Africans, that there have been full-scale wars with fewer deaths than we suffer every year from these scum. So I say to you, South Africa is a a land at war with savage criminals. When you are at war, you kill your enemy. Bring back the death penalty, and start these scum paying for their savagery. I suggest we follow King Henry VIII - bring back hanging, drawing and quartering. These evil savages who killed this doctor, are guilty of HIGH TREASON! Henry VIII would have had them dragged through the streets by horses, and then chopped up in public. Are we claiming we are more civilised than the court of Henry VIII?
Geyser, wrote
SA crime statistics are a sham. Lots of the crime goes unreported and lot of the police can't even write a report. Everything is a fraud in this country. We have to start cleaning from the top and I mean the parliament working down to the civil service.
Anonymous, wrote
Now..now... my black brothers, why are you being so negative about our rainbow nation. If you don´t like it, just leave, immigrate....just like your white fellows.
Anonymous, wrote
I would support the death penalty only if you get rid of all the bias judges and it is 100% sure that the convicted killed a person. Too many judges still convict people on the basis of their colour. And yes I am a legal person that are involved in Courts for over 26 years.
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