South Africa's New National Party criticised Democratic...

South Africa's New National Party criticised Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Tony Leon for his latest stance on the death penalty, saying his opportunism knew no end. However, the DA immediately responded, saying it viewed with amusement the NNP's "anger and hysteria" about Leon's support for the death penalty. "No doubt, it renders much of their (NNP) election propaganda obsolete," DA chief election spokesman Douglas Gibson said. In a statement earlier, NNP secretary general Daryl Swanepoel said Leon "knows full well that the DA as a party does not support the death penalty". "But he also knows full well that the majority of South Africans are in favour of the death penalty. And therefore his egg dance," Swanepoel said. During a visit to the Mangaung Maximum Security Prison near Bloemfontein on March 3, Leon was asked about the death penalty, to which he replied that he and many MPs favoured its return, and would like the Constitutional Court to revisit its decision to abolish it.