
Pretoria - South Africa’s justice and health departments are set to appeal Thursday’s landmark ruling in the high court in Pretoria allowing a terminally ill man to end his life with the help of his doctor.
“The justice and health ministers will appeal the judgment as it has far reaching implications from a constitutional point of view and given its impact on the powers of the NPA [National Prosecuting Authority] to prosecute,” justice department spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga said.
Earlier on Thursday, the court ruled that a doctor be allowed to help Robin Stransham-Ford, a terminally ill prostate cancer patient, die.
In terms of the ruling, the doctor would not be prosecuted. Stransham-Ford had successfully argued his constitutional right to dignity was being infringed.
Euthanasia is illegal in South Africa.