Durban - SIGNATURES on an online petition calling for the reinstatement of the death penalty now number nearly 600 000, despite Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola describing the campaign as flawed.
The petition on Change.Org was started by Agent of Change and is addressed to the government of
South Africa and President Cyril Ramaphosa.
It was started three weeks ago following the murders of University of Cape Town student Uyinene Mrwetyana; female karate and boxing champion Leighandre “Baby Lee” Jegels; Mitchell’s Plain pupil Janika Mallo; Pinetown Girls’ High School pupil Ayakha Jiyani; and her Lyndhurst Primary siblings Siphesihle, Khwezi and Kuhlekonke Mpungose.
Lamola said last week the Constitution stated that everyone has the right to life following the Constitutional Court’s landmark judgment in the 1995 case of convicted killers Themba Makwanyane and Mvuso Mchunu.
However, two weeks after the petition was started there were already 400 000 signatures and by last Saturday 580 000 people had registered their support, with the goal of getting one million signatures.
A link to the petition has also been doing the rounds on local WhatsApp groups.
While a constitutional law expert and Emeritus Professor at UKZN said he was personally opposed to the reinstatement of the death penalty, people in favour of its reinstatement had every right to be heard.
“We are a democracy; they are entitled to organise, petition and lobby Members of Parliament to support them and help them persuade the ANC, which is strongly against the death penalty.
“Every year under apartheid executions increased, but the number of homicides went up,” said Professor George Devenish, who was chairman of the local chapter for the abolition of the death penalty.
Last Tuesday the IFP re-tabled its motion to debate in Parliament reinstating the death penalty.
IFP spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said yesterday they expected the debate to be held as and when the schedule allowed as outlined by the National Assembly’s programming committee.
“We hope the signatures (on the petition) increase so that they can be a stamp of approval as a voice of the nation, because this is not just a political party thing but a societal thing,” he said.
Oshnee Singh from Pietermaritzburg shared a link to the petition, which she had already signed, in a local crime discussion group.
“Many of us are bearing the brunt of serious crimes with too relaxed punitive measures and these serious offences are increasing at an alarming rate. There is so much fear among citizens and that means no peace and harmony prevails any more,” she said.