Dear Editor,
I vehemently oppose the death penalty. Killing a person is a barbaric act (far worse than killing a bull barehanded). A state that institutionalises and legalises killing cannot, in my view, claim to be a constitutional democracy.
The social ills plaguing us today (unemployment, poverty, homelessness, hunger, illiteracy, crime, etc.) are a direct result of historical separate development and exclusion of the majority from the economy. The death penalty will only address the symptoms and not the root cause.
Former Chief Justice Pius Langa addressed this issue several times. He quoted a number of references (research) to prove that the death penalty does not reduce crime, as much as banning alcohol advertising does not reduce sales. This is well researched.
The only long term and sustainable solution is education, and broad based economic development and empowerment. Killing people is short-sighted and unsustainable. If everyone was educated and employed (or self employed), the crime rate would be very minimal. Any thinking person will agree with that.
Lindani Gumede
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