The Inkatha Freedom Party called on the government...

The Inkatha Freedom Party called on the government to conduct a referendum to determine whether people want a reinstatement of the death penalty in South Africa.
The party was responding to an impassioned plea by a Pretoria High Court judge to authorities to consider reinstating the death penalty for certain offences.
In sentencing Joseph Masemola - who murdered two-year-old Alexander Strydom - to life imprisonment, Judge Johan Els said this type of crime should be punishable with the death sentence.
Reacting to the judge's call, IFP leader Velaphi Ndlovu called on the government to conduct a referendum to test the views of the people on the issue.
"If there is something that we are not clear about, we should ask the people who elected us," said Ndlovu.
Reaction from other political parties, however, was mixed.
African National Congress spokesperson in KwaZulu-Natal, Mtholephi Mthimkhulu, said: "Up to now there is no scientific evidence which points to the fact that the death penalty will prove a deterrent to crime. All we need to do is to intensify our system of imposing heavy sentences on criminals."
Democratic Alliance leader Tertius Delport said: "We as the DA are allowed a free vote when it comes to the death penalty because it is a highly emotional issue. In principle I am against it, but in practice I have no doubt that it is the duty of the government to do something in extreme cases."
Justice Ministry spokesperson Paul Setsetse said the government did not believe that it should resort to such desperate measures to fight crime.
"The death penalty has been declared by the Constitutional Court as unconstitutional, as it is inconsistent with the constitution."