To The Parliament of South Africa

We, the people of South Africa, are asking Parliament to:

1. Change Section 11 of the Constitution so that the death penalty can be used for murder, rape-murder, and other brutal violent crimes when someone is 100% proven guilty.
2. Fix the Criminal Procedure Act so judges can sentence the worst criminals to death.
3. Make it law that every death penalty case goes straight to the Constitutional Court for review, so no innocent person gets executed.

Why we’re asking for this:
Crime in this country is out of control. SAPS said we had over 27,000 murders in 2023/2024. That’s not just a number that’s mothers, fathers, kids, friends who are gone. Our communities live in fear every day. People don’t feel safe in their own homes. Many of us feel like the justice system isn’t working and criminals don’t fear the consequences.

We believe bringing back the death penalty, with proper safeguards, will:
1. Make criminals think twice before taking a life.
2. Give real justice to victims and their families who are left behind to suffer.
3. Listen to what ordinary South Africans actually want. 

We know the Constitutional Court banned the death penalty in 1995 with _S v Makwanyane_. But that was almost 30 years ago. Things have gotten worse. The right to life is important, but what about the right of innocent people not to be murdered? What about our right to be safe?

So we’re asking Parliament: Please debate this. Vote on changing the Constitution to bring back the death penalty. Let the Justice Committee hold public hearings so regular people can speak about what crime has done to them.

We are tired of burying our loved ones while murderers get to live.

Date: 26th April 2026