The Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) is calling for a referendum on the death penalty.
Contralesa President, Chief Lameck Mokoena, told the SABC that the scourge of violence against women and children has gotten out of hand.
“Unless the government comes up with some innovative ideas on how to deal with this thing, our country is becoming a banana republic. We call upon government to call for a referendum to test the will of the people as to whether the death penalty should not be brought back,” he said.
Chief Mokoena’s call comes after the kidnapping, rape and murder of six-year-old Bontle Mashiyane, whose body was mutilated and found dumped near her home last Saturday after she went missing on April 30. Three people were arrested and appeared in court yesterday on charges of rape, dealing in human tissue, kidnapping and murder.
He added that most of these perpetrators are former convicts who are out on parole.“The brutal killing of the innocent young girl at Mganduzweni and many other incidents in this country is a cause for concern. The killing of women and children has [gotten] out of hand and what makes it worse is that many of the perpetrators are former convicts who are out on parole,” he said.
According to IOL, the prosecutor handling this case requested that the media not be allowed to film proceedings inside court because there were rumours that the members of the community were planning to burn down the houses of the accused. The houses of the two suspects were torched last night and the house of a Saangoma believed to have been involved was also set alight.
Also read:
SA high school students face scrutiny over Nazi salute footage
Picture: Cape Town ETC
