Pretoria - In a landmark decision, Cape Town advocate Robin Stransham-Ford has been given a court order to get assisted suicide.
The advocate, who is terminally ill with prostate cancer, was granted the order by Pretoria High Court Judge Hans Fabricus on Thursday morning.
Stransham-Ford, 65, approached the court because he wanted Fabricus to declare that the medical practitioner who assists him not be held accountable criminally or civilly.
Handing down judgement, Fabricus said Stransham-Ford was mentally competent and freely and voluntarily wanted assisted suicide and the medical practitioners who help him would not be prosecuted.
Fabricus said the order applied only to this case and future cases would be debated on their merit.
Pretoria News