Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read
07 August 2025 | 15:00 CAT

📸 calls for the death penalty during a protest against gender-based violence. (Photo: David Harrison)

The Save South Africa Civic Movement has reignited one of the country’s most polarising debates calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to reinstate the death penalty in a bid to curb the spiralling epidemic of gender-based violence (GBV).

“People are not serious about ending GBV,” said the movement’s spokesperson Sydney Monnagotla in an interview on Radio Islam. “We’ve seen killings of women, children, and even shocking videos showing children exposed to drugs by family members. This is the slow death of society.”

Their demand is clear: reintroduce capital punishment, specifically for those convicted of murdering women and children. The group argues that such a sentence would serve as a powerful deterrent to would-be offenders, especially given the state’s failure to curb violence against vulnerable communities.

“Our government has tried everything and failed. Crime rates rise each year. We need to revisit laws that no longer reflect the violent reality we live in,” Monnagotla said.

The call comes amid mounting public frustration over South Africa’s persistent GBV crisis, where victims are often failed by police, courts, and social structures. Citing neighbouring Botswana as an example, the movement believes capital punishment has a proven track record in reducing violent crime.

However, reinstating the death penalty presents steep legal and constitutional challenges. South Africa’s Constitutional Court abolished it in 1995, citing the right to life and human dignity. But Monnagotla argues that the socio-political context has shifted significantly since then.

“In 1996, we were coming out of apartheid there was no mass killing of women and children. But today, criminals have declared war on our people,” he said. “This is no longer about silencing political opposition, it’s about saving lives.”

The civic movement has formally written to President Mbosa urging Cabinet to draft legislation permitting the death penalty for gender-based and child-targeted murders. They envision the bill undergoing parliamentary debate and public consultations.

“This is a call to the conscience of politicians,” said Monnagotla. “Most victims are not celebrities. They are ordinary people. If our leaders care about them, they’ll act now.”

The debate is far from over but for many, the pain and urgency on South Africa’s streets demand more than platitudes.

Listen to the full interview on The Daily Round-Up with Moulana Junaid Kharsany and Sydney Monnagotla.