South Africa - Death and Democracy
Would the death penalty system really curb spiralling crime rates in South Africa? The main Opposition party seems to think so?
"Criminals are just walking away laughing because they know nothing will happen to them," says a member of one of Pastor Leicher's prayer meeting groups. The pastor himself was running as a candidate for the new Pro-Death Penalty party. But Human Rights organisations are dubious about the motives for such policies. "These are just bankrupt political policies - a cheap way of winning votes." For the warders who used to clear the mess up after executions, the experience was harrowing. "I have constant nightmares and I think about blood a lot," says Johan Steyenberg. He believes that thousands of innocents died as a result of the penalty. In fact, many South Africans believe such sentences should be laid to rest.
FULL SYNOPSIS