South African MP calls on Zuma to stop Chinese execution

A South African national, Janice Bronwyn Linden convicted of drug smuggling in China, is due to be executed in that country tomorrow.

The member of Parliament with the Democratic Alliance, and the Shadow Minister of International Relations and Co-operation, Stevens Mokgalapa on Sunday called on President Zuma to make a last-ditch attempt to have her sentence commuted.

"Our government cannot stand idly by while one of our citizens is executed on foreign shores. " Mokgalapa said.

Janice Linden was found guilty by a Chinese court in July 2009 of being in possession of 3kg of methamphetamine. She received the death penalty. Appeals to this sentence in both the High Court in Guangdong province and the Supreme Court in Beijing have failed.

At the time of her conviction, South African authorities said that they are "engaging" with the Chinese government to have the death sentence converted to a jail term.

"It is clear that, whatever our diplomats have done, it has not been enough to save Ms. Linden's life," said Mokgalapa.

 Mokgalapa said he will be submitting parliamentary questions at the first available opportunity to ascertain precisely what steps the Department of International Relations and Co-operation took to persuade authorities in China to commute her death sentence.

Drug mules should be punished for what they do. But this is clearly a case of a punishment not fitting the crime.

A commitment to human rights is a guiding principle of South Africa's international relations. According to  Mokgalapa there has been little evidence of commitment in SA's dealings with China of late.

 Mokgalapa also said  President Zuma's fear of upsetting China was the key reason for disallowing the Dalai Lama into our country. This time there is more than a visa at stake, it is somebody's life.

"Our President must do the right thing and speak out before it's too late," he said