Criminals not entitled to rights

THE report, “Court orders immediate release of Aids sufferer from Pretoria prison” (The Herald, December 8) is appalling.

Simon Mazibuko, given a life sentence after being convicted of murder, robbery, assault, theft, and the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, was released from prison on the grounds that he was not receiving adequate medical treatment, pain medication and anti-retrovirals while in jail.

What sort of message are we sending to criminals? This unhealthy obsession with the rights of criminals has to stop.

Such decisions undermine the efforts of an already demoralised police force and offer the average citizen plagued by crime little hope for the future.

It is time for all responsible South Africans to call for the reintroduction of the death penalty for those convicted of murder, rape or armed robbery.

D E Aldendorff Jeffreys Bay