Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi said the death penalty has no place in South Africa's constitutional democracy as it was barbaric.
Those who call for the return of the death penalty must understand that they are asking for South Africa to return to barbarism. Capital punishment has no place in a humane constitutional democracy.
These were the remarks of Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi who over the weekend delivered the gallows lecture in Gqeberha, where she reflected on the death penalty. She made it clear that South Africa must never return to barbarism and that the death penalty has no place in South Africa’s constitutional democracy.
The Gallows lecture marked 30 years since the Constitution was adopted and honoured activists who were executed under apartheid. Kubayi said significant progress has been made in building a new nation, but substantial challenges remain.
“Those who lost their lives during the dark days of our struggle died convinced that their contribution to the struggle will one day help to build a foundation for a new society… They died comforted by the knowledge that they were part of a large army of patriotic Africans, confident that their comrades would pick up the spear and continue with the struggle to build a better life for all. They died so that what happened to them should not happen to future generations.”
