ITUMELENG MAFISA
ActionSA president Herman Mashaba says South Africa is becoming a gangster state and has called for the return of the death penalty to restore the rule of law.
Mashaba said he was horrified by the story of the Mpumalanga councillor who was killed for service delivery-related issues in the Mkhondo Municipality. He said this was an indication that the country lacked law and order.
“For me, the first thing we must do after we get rid of the ANC we must bring back the Scorpions. For me, in cases like this, as far as I am concerned, I believe we need the death penalty in this country for first-degree murder, for rape, and for drug dealing,” Mashaba said.
He said he was personally moved by the video where the councillor predicts his own death and hoped that law enforcement would bring the assailants to book.
He blamed the ruling party for the increased crime rate and lack of respect for human life.
“Our institutions are run by criminal elements themselves; the ANC will not sort out the criminality. For as long as we have the ANC in power, we can expect things to be worse,” he said.
Mashaba said the party would be discussing the death penalty issue and other policy positions at ActionSA’s policy conference later this year. He said the death penalty had worked in restoring order in Botswana and could do the same in South Africa.
“The death penalty works everywhere where there is the rule of law; let us not use apartheid excuses for allowing our people to be murdered by criminals. The apartheid government killed our people for political reasons,” Mashaba said.
Other policy positions that were going to be discussed at ActionSA's policy conference included BEE, which the party is completely against, and the sale of State Owned Enterprises (SOEs).
“We do not support BEE; we support social justice, where we must invest in education. SAA we would give it away to anyone who wants to take it away from us. But some of the SOEs like Prasa are very crucial,” he said.