Durban – “Ananias Mathe should have got the death penalty long time ago,” the NFP said in a statement.
NFP KwaZulu-Natal spokesman for community safety, Erickson Zungu, said Mathe and other dangerous criminals should be given the death penalty for committing murder amongst other serious crimes.
Mathe escaped prison several times between 2002 and 2006, for a raft of serious crimes including rape, housebreaking, robbery with aggravating circumstances, amongst others.
He also killed 13 dogs by feeding them poisoned sausages.
Mathe died on Tuesday afternoon at a Durban hospital after suffering from severe constipation, according to TMG Digital.
Zungu, a member of the KZN Legislature, said the government could have saved resources if it had opted for the death penalty.
“It is the undisputed fact that government could have saved a lot of state resource and time if the government opted for the death penalty in similar cases of Ananias Mathe, taxpayers money spent daily on Mathe could been used wisely,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.
The NFP is calling on government to open the debate about the death penalty to let people air their views.
“As the National Freedom Party we say death penalty is one of those topic that should be brought to the people and get people's opinions on it, we know others may feel it would be taking the country back and undermining the gains made through democratic processes, but the reality of the matter is that our country's justice system is failing the ordinary citizens,” he said.
“It is about time the government of South Africa realize that our call for referendum is not just a call to instill some form of discipline but also it is a reduction on crime.
“We wish to plea to the government of South Africa and make this referendum an open discussion to the public,” he said.
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