The Global Community Tribunal

Justice for the People by the People

Dec 22 2007

… And the stench of death hangs over South Africa

Posted by: admin in General

I read the post under the title Whites Are Scum which was presumably written in reaction to my post Hang ‘em high. Although I do not understand the reason for the heading and that it would have been nice to receive a reference, the opinion is none the less appreciated.

In regard to the statistic which I have quoted one needs to see it in context.

Although out of the 1099 executions 57% were white and 34% black, one needs to take the demographics into consideration. Of the total US population 79% are white and approximately 12% are black. This would mean that relatively speaking, many more blacks have been executed than whites.

Introducing the death penalty in South Africa would mean that the 18 000 murders committed this year alone would have resulted in executions. Should we however accept that only 5% of these murders are in fact caught, prosecuted and convicted, that 900 executions would have resulted. Calculated over the period since 1994 (when the present crime wave started), i.e. 13 years, we would have at least had 11700 executions.

Can we as South African morally, ethically and politically live with this result?

In regard to my fears in regard to murder accused’s being erroneously convicted and sentenced to death, I would like to add the following. I agree that crime is out of control and that something dramatic should be done. We just can not go on like this. It is therefore easy to say that the few judicial mistakes that are made is a small price to pay to stop the murders. But in a country in which affirmative action is being done and unqualified judges are being appointed with very little experience, I can never support the death sentence on this basis. Ask yourself the question: It is your son or daughter standing in the dock, being tried for murder. Bad evidence is lead. You do not have enough money to pay for the best legal council. You see how the judge from time to time sinks away into a deep sleep. When the final judgment is made, will you still support the death penalty?

I don’t think so.

J.C.Grobler.

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