Two political parties who took part in the debate on the violence against women and children have suggested an amendment to the Constitution to allow for death sentence. Both the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and the National Freedom Party NFP want the country to revisit calls for a referendum on the issue. Re-instating the death sentence has been suggested as a means to curb the ongoing violence against women and children.

NFP’s Ahmed Shaik-Emam says it’s time to re-look at the Constitution.

“We call on a referendum on the death penalty and castration for those responsible for the rape of our children. It is time 23-years later to re-look at the constitution and see what amendments we need to make.”

Following a five-year and four-month moratorium since February 1990, capital punishment in South Africa was abolished on 6 June, 1995,  by the Constitutional Court in the case of S v Makwanyane.

Emam argued that the life of the innocent children who have died as a result of recent brutal murders need to be valued.

“One may argue that it is barbaric, but is it barbaric for an innocent to lose his/her life as a result of the criminal activities?”

VOC 91.3fm