Whether or not the death penalty should be reinstated in South Africa to curb violent crime is a controversial topic. It’s no surprise then that it got South Africans talking on Heritage Day.

An article written by Highway Mail and published by Caxton Network News on 60 Caxton Local Media Facebook pages across the country yesterday (September 24) asked the question, ‘Could the death penalty be the answer to violent crimes?’

The posts garnered 537 047 Facebook views and 24 654 Facebook interactions across the country, with 3 685 people commenting.

Reacting to the post on Lowvelder’s Facebook page, which garnered 745 comments and over 1 800 reactions, Marius du Plessis said: “I think it will cause an immediate drop in violent crimes.”

Warren Thea Biljon thinks it ‘will definitely make suspects think about it before killing’; while Brandon Jansen Van Rensburg said ‘it will prevent lawless criminals from taking lives from the innocent’.

Androhet Kotze agreed: “Yes, if you take something from someone you must pay the price.” Judd Sullivan had the same sentiment, saying: “Meet fire with fire.”

Pieter Saayman disagreed. “Only God can judge,” he said, while Natasja Enslin commented: “[It] depends on the deeds you do.”

Retha Fourie commented on the post on Middelburg Observer’s Facebook page, saying: “Only if there is no doubt that he or she was the perpetrator.”  Manqoba Atlegang said: “No, it wouldn’t… Many reasons for that.” Numerous people, including Rhoda Hughes and George Jansen van Rensburg, indicated they were in favour of the death penalty.

Witbank News reader Giyani Maluleke said: “Nope – look at America, for instance… There’s death sentence but gun violent crimes [sic] is out of control.” Vikki van der Merwe, Christa Swiegers, Mandy Botha and various others all said ‘yes’.

In Tshwane, 161 Pretoria Rekord readers commented on the post.

Amanda Anna Stander said: “Only if it can be proved without a reasonable doubt that the person is really guilty, because, corruption, you know…”

Clinton Scholtz said: “War is not the answer,” while Kevin Lotz said: “Yes, it will.”

In KZN, South Coast Sun reader Chantell Irmscher said: “Mmmm, controversial… All for an eye for an eye… but what about so many who were falsely sentenced? So yes, DP for heinous crimes. Don’t know… On the fence. Just my opinion.”

Various other people, including Cynthia Harris, John Connell and Colette Helena Male, said it would.

In Sedibeng, readers had a mixed reaction. While Gert Nel and Masopha Mercy said ‘yes’, Masila Rataisne said that while he understands people are frustrated with crime, ‘government used the death penalty to kill people that were a threat to their system…’.

These Facebook responses pose an interesting question: What would happen if all South Africans were able to vote for or against reinstating the death penalty?

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