Backing death penalty hate speech

The letter, “Bring back the death penalty in SA”, of July 30, cannot go unchallenged.

As with all such letters, this one is also based on mythical assumptions, half-truths, distortions, exaggerations and even vulgar language to give their half-baked hate speech some impetus.

Firstly, since 1910, 4 110 people were hanged in this country, 136 of them political prisoners. Judge Ramon Leon, the father of Tony Leon, the former leader of the DA, sentenced Struggle hero Andrew Zondo to death. Another of these notorious judges sentenced Solomon Mahlangu, another freedom fighter, to death.

If this writer had done his homework he would have found that of these 4 110, 95% were black or coloured. The murders white folks were involved in were always treated as sensational, as if it was uncommon and unworthy for them to commit such heinous crimes. Nothing has changed. The Pistoriuses, Dewanis and Van Bredas of this world will always be treated with kid-gloves as they can buy their innocence.

Secondly, has this writer ever thought how he and cohorts who think like him will ever be able to kill 19 061 murderers (the last annual figures announced). Will they use death squads, mass shootings, stonings, gas chambers or extra-judicial killings?

What about rapists, gangsters, reckless and drunk drivers who also kill many people?

When the hate speech bill is enacted in the near future, our anti-death penalty foundation will be the first to haul these folks to court.

It cannot be right for one person to be brought to court in leg-irons, jailed for years just for calling others derogatory names, yet folks like these can shout for the killing of fellow human beings. If this is not hate speech, then what is it?

Koert Meyer Welgelegen, Cape Town