Young law breakers be warned law is getting tougher

The decision by the government to declare certain aspects of minimum sentences legislation in matters concerning children unconstitutional, has been welcomed by children’s rights groups and was discussed at Dlamini Multi Purpose Centre..

The law provides that young offenders of 16 or 17 are to be sentenced according to the minimum sentences when convicted of very serious crimes such as rape, murder and hijackings.

These sentences also include life imprisonment or very long sentences of 20 years in prison.

At the recent Children’s Law Exercise gathering at the hall, Ronaldah Ngidi, an attorney at the Centre for Child Law, said he was pleased with the outcome but that it was just a first step.

“Until the constitutional court confirms the orders they are of no effect,” Ngidi said.

“In the meantime, 16- and 17-year-old’s are being sentenced in terms of the existing legislation and we aim to ensure the matter proceeds with haste.”

“The constitutional court will now pronounce on the issue of minimum sentences for child offenders once and for all.”

Ngidi said: “Those sentences should be lenient, because the more children spends long time in jail is the more they adapt these criminal acts and rehabilitating them is too complicated.

“So after the passing of the law we will weigh it and see if it is right or not suitable for children.”

Moroka Police Station communications manager Lukha Khoza said: “Crime is crime and a criminal is a criminal no matter how old they are, if a 15 year-old boy can kill do we expect him to be set free because he is a child, no he must pay.

“I’m surely supporting the getting tougher of the law, because if these young offenders don’t get punished they won’t stop doing crime.”