The African Transformation Movement (ATM) is calling for the reinstatement of capital punishment. The escalation of gender- based violence in the country has strengthened the party’s stance on the issue.
The ATM’s Free State spokesperson British Novas says his party will lobby the government and other pressure groups to consider the feasibility of reinstating the death-penalty.
“The only severe high sentence that we are having currently according to our constitution is a life sentence, and people have been convicted to life sentence since many a time. We believe, as the African Transformation Movement, the only one that can assist the measure which is in play (sic) is the implementation of the justice is is capital punishment.”
Meanwhile, according to Father Mduduzi Ndlovu of the Roman Catholic Church in Johannesburg, the abuse that happens in homes is more dangerous because it normalises gender-based violence.
Ndlovu convened the prayer meeting held in Diepkloof in Soweto as part of the National Day of Prayer on Sunday.
Victims of domestic violence and attacks shared their experiences on how they fled the wars in their countries only to face more attacks in South Africa.
Ndlovu has encouraged individuals to work towards breaking the cycle of gender-based violence, the abuse of children and xenophobia.
“They say SA is a 80% plus Christian country (but we don’t see the love in the home and community). The war that is being raged on women’s bodies must stop. We cannot tolerate it any longer. Everytime there is a war the people who suffer the most are women and children. We have come at a critical in our lives where we can no longer tolerate what we have gone through.”
