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Once again the spotlight is on our justice system and the department of correctional supervision, which has failed society in granting parole to criminals, who should have been kept behind bars.
Although it is commendable that Ramaphosa pledged support for the parents of Tazne van Wyk for her funeral preparations, it is too little and too late.
While visiting the Van Wyk family, Ramaphosa said: “Parole should never have been granted to the suspect. There was something wrong with our parole system”.
A classic example of closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.
Tazne left her house on February 7, to visit a tuck shop which was a short distance from her house. She was last seen walking back, lollipop in hand.
A 54-year-old suspect, who was subsequently linked to her disappearance, was arrested 10 days later in Cradock.
After his arrest, he allegedly led the police to a storm water pipe in Worcester where the body of the 8-year-old was discovered.
Further investigation revealed that he had several previous convictions of assault, possession of a stolen vehicle, housebreaking, theft and murder.
In 2008, he was sentenced for kidnapping, child abuse and culpable homicide and sentenced to 10 years in jail. He served only half of this sentence and was released on parole.
According to reports from local groups and organisations, South Africa has the highest rate of rape in the world, including child and baby rape. Crime Statistics SA said that three children were killed every day.
Ramaphosa was greeted by a large crowd when he visited the Van Wyk family in Elsies River amid loud chants of “bring back the death penalty” by angry residents and supporters.
He said this was not possible as “the right to life” is enshrined in our Constitution. What about the victim’s life?
Whose life does the Constitution protect? Surely, it must be the life of an 8-year-old little girl who merely wanted to buy a lollipop at a tuck shop down the road; as opposed to a predator whose only aim is to watch, wait and then destroy his victim and then dump her like a piece of unwanted debris in a stormwater pipe.
I have two questions for Ramaphosa and his MPs:
If you can so easily amend Section 25 of the Constitution to allow for the expropriation of land without compensation, why can’t you change the Constitution to include the death penalty?
If the rape and murder of the most vulnerable and defenceless human beings in our society is not a crime against humanity, then for Heaven’s sake, what is?
* Joyce Beeton, Plettenberg Bay.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
Cape Argus
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Article source: https://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/opinion/letter-constitution-must-change-for-victims-43871464