House Chair, we have been discussing issues in and out, but the issues tend to be escalating as we debate. We currently have a murder rate of 58 deaths per day, a rate that is on par with war-torn countries such Afghanistan, all because our Constitution favours the rights of perpetrators over those of the law abiding victims in South Africa.
The murders of Uyinene and other women in the month of August prompted the society to take a stand and call on government to declare a state of emergency for gender- based violence, introduce the death penalty and increase the funding for the fight against gender-based violence. However, since a debate was heard on the matter, nothing
tangible has changed. The vulnerable are still exposed to ruthless criminals.
Our position on being harsh on criminality is unwavering. A justice based capital punishment system for heinous crimes, repeat and serial offenders are more than necessary. Criminals have to be segmented and categorised according to the offence they have created. It makes no sense to take an 18year old accused of break- in and putting them in the same cell as a serial killer, and sex predator. This is a direct re-creation of the strongest offender in the weakest offender.
The SAPS reservists must be in-sourced in order to increase the capacity of police in the fight against crime. It makes no sense that these reservists' weapons are taken away at the end of the day. We are Africans, living in Africa and some matters will not be resolved by applying the so called "Roman-Dutch law".
It is time for the decolonization and transformation of the judiciary, the time to formally recognize customary law as a legitimate pillar of the judiciary. Visible
policing and ensuring armed activity in public areas should be enough to minimise crime, as a safeguard to the aforementioned strategies listed above.
With the trial of Uyinene Mrwetyana having started, the ATM had hope that the Presidency would have responded on a call for a referendum that allows for public hearings in the introduction of a justice-based capital punishment system, better known as the death penalty.
We are calling for a justice-based capital punishment system which will be accompanied by the following safeguards. Only the High Court presides over the case, automatic appeal and review on the sentence, the accused must be represented by a Senior Counsel Hearing by a full bench, our Constitution must serve us, not the other way round, our Constitution must be strengthened to serve us better, our Constitution must not be the refuge for rapists and murderers, our Constitution must be the anchor tenet for justice.
Let us allow the people of South Africa to have a final word on this matter through a referendum. We owe this
referendum to all the fallen souls and their bereaved families. I thank you.