PTI

SOUTH AFRICA: S.Africa opposes re-imposing death penalty

The South African Government will not agree to the re-imposition of the death penalty in the country because "only God has the right to take the life of a person", Deputy President Jacob Zuma has said.

He was responding in Parliament yesterday to a request by opposition politicians that the Government should take the views of the public on the return of capital punishment in view of a "crime wave" in the country.

"Taking somebody's life is not a right that we must exercise. It is God's right," Zuma said.

The Deputy President said the government was satisfied that the police was doing a lot to overcome the high crime rate and to apprehend the criminals.

He said life imprisonment for serious offenders was one of the ways to counter serious crimes.

The death penalty was outlawed after the African National Congress came into power in 1994.