South Africa still apposes death penalty

(Social Justice South Africa; Agenzia Fides 02/10/2008)

The Catholic Church is known in recent times for its opposition to unnecessary use of the death penalty:

The following, which shows South Africa's role in a meeting to suppress the death penalty is directly quoted from Agenzia Fides.
- Comment by Marc Aupiais

Article from Agenzia Fides 02/10/2008 ; who permit the reproduction of their work with attribution:

"EUROPE/ITALY - For life and against the death penalty
Rome (Agenzia Fides) – While the United States Supreme Court considered the case of Troy Davis in Georgia, the Community of Saint Egidio organized the III International Congress for Ministers of Justice on September 29. Those in attendance included Ministers of Justice, leaders of Supreme Courts, and members of Parliament from 16 countries (the European Union, Italy, Rwanda, Ivory Coast, Guinea Conakry, Gabon, Kenya, Benin, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Guinea Bissau, Lesotho, Liberia, Mexico, Ecuador, Philippines, Kazakhstan), who gathered to discuss an extremely debated issue and one of great importance for every civilized nation: the abolition of the death penalty, in a convention entitled: “From Moratorium to Abolition of Capital Punishment.”
It is a theme of particular relevance, especially after the Universal Moratorium approved by an impressive majority last December 18 at the UN General Assembly, after the attempts in 1994, 1999, and 2003 to abolish it; and it is an occasion in which the intervention of Italy has played a key role. The Community of Saint Egidio is not new in this area: it has, in fact, collected nearly 5,230,000 signatures in 153 countries throughout the world, which were later (this past November 2) handed over to the President of the General Assembly of the UN, Srgjan Kerim, by a delegation of the Coomunity and the WCADP (World Coalition Against the Death Penalty). This gesture is indicative of how the attention from various entities, working together for the full elimination of the death penalty have created a real front, not only on an interreligious level, but also on an intercultural and transnational level.
The two annual conventions that preceded that of the Palazzo Rospigliosi this year, showed the activity and dedication of the Community of Saint Egidio in spreading awareness and understanding on the issues related to the death penalty. It is a rather recent project, begun in 1996, but already lived with great commitment by the members of the Community. It is an initiative that is begun and grows within the humanistic spirit and care for the needs of others, characteristics typical of the Saint Egidio experience. The first “colloquium” on the death penalty took place on November 28, 2005 in Rome and was of great importance in the link between Europe and Africa in coming together to abolish the death penalty and in encouraging all participating nations to do the same. The Encounter ended with the 4th World Day Against the Death Penalty, organized by the Community of Saint Egidio (the first one took place in 2002). The second “colloquium” was held on June 18, 2007: after which, the country of Gabon abolished the death penalty and the text later approved in December 2007 was introduced in the Third Commission of the UN Resolution. (PC) (Agenzia Fides 2/10/2008)"
http://www.fides.org/aree/news/newsdet.php?idnews=17864&lan=eng