COMMENT | Should SA consider reintroducing the death penalty?

South Africa is grappling with a surge in gender-based violence and femicide, with recent discoveries of 9 women's bodies in and around Gauteng city. This has sparked a debate about reintroducing the death penalty. Despite the understandable anger, reintroducing capital punishment would not solve the root causes of violence. Instead, it would risk wrongful executions and fail to address the societal conditions that allow violence to thrive.

Childhood trauma, bullying, and learned aggression can contribute to violent behavior. Poverty, unemployment, and toxic masculinity also play significant roles. Addressing these factors through education, employment opportunities, and societal change is crucial for preventing violence, rather than resorting to capital punishment.