1Min
South Africa
Dec 1, 2025
FOSA has renewed its call for the reintroduction of the death penalty in South Africa, citing alarming crime statistics showing an average of 64 murders each day. The organisation says urgent action is needed to protect citizens’ right to life and restore justice for victims.
The Forum for South Africa (FOSA) has reiterated its demand for the reintroduction of the death penalty for deliberate murderers, in the wake of crime data showing an average of 64 people killed each day nationwide. The appeal, issued on Monday, comes as the country once again confronts stark numbers of violent crime.
FOSA’s demand refers to the recent crime statistics released by the South African Police Services (SAPS), which revealed that during the first quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, 5,770 murders were recorded, a daily average of 64. The organisation argues that this high daily death toll amounts to a violation of the constitutional right to life, enshrined in Section 11 of the Constitution.
FOSA said it previously submitted a proposal for constitutional amendment when Parliament opened submissions in June 2025, calling for stronger protections for life and harsher consequences for those who take life deliberately. With no response to date, the organisation says it is now reinforcing its stance.
“An ‘eye for an eye’ is not a call for revenge, but a call for justice, deterrence, and the restoration of the sanctity of human life,” said FOSA national leader Tebogo Mashilompane. The organisation maintains that law-abiding citizens deserve safety, dignity, and justice, and should not have to live in fear while violent criminals act with impunity.
FOSA argues that the scale and consistency of murder in South Africa as evidenced by the crime statistics; warrant the highest possible legal penalty for those convicted of intentional murder. Mashilompane said FOSA stands with victims, their families, and all citizens seeking security and accountability.
According to the official statistics, the figure of 5,770 murders between January and March 2025 reflects a minor improvement compared to previous quarters, yet remains dangerously high. Attempts to curb violent crime and strengthen policing have been repeatedly called for by civil society and political organisations, with concerns over chronic violent crime, gang activity, and the prevalence of firearms in many of the crimes committed.
FOSA’s renewed call for the death penalty comes amid growing public frustration over persistent violence. The organisation insists that re-imposing capital punishment for deliberate murder is not motivated by vengeance, but by a belief in deterrence and justice; and by what it describes as the state’s failure to safeguard the fundamental right to life.
The organisation does not outline a draft of the constitutional amendment, but indicates FOSA’s intention to reignite the debate within Parliament and in public discourse. As the country witnesses continued high levels of murder, FOSA is pressing authorities to respond robustly to what it calls a national crisis.
