A history of the death penalty in Botswana, c.1891-2021

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dc.contributor.advisorSwart, Sandra Scotten_ZA
dc.contributor.advisor Dube, Thembanien_ZA
dc.contributor.authorMushininga, Ceciliaen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of History.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2023-03-03T07:08:58Z
dc.date.accessioned2023-05-18T07:12:01Z
dc.date.available2023-03-03T07:08:58Z
dc.date.available2023-05-18T07:12:01Z
dc.date.issued2023-03
dc.descriptionThesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH SUMMARY : This thesis explores the historiography of the death penalty in Botswana. It provides an analysis of how the justice system has applied the death penalty. The thesis locates the idiographic particularities of Botswana within the broader capital punishment histories of southern Africa and draws comparisons. Initially, the thesis seeks to correct theories from human rights activists, who try to ‘purify’ the pre-colonial Tswana communities, claiming that capital punishment was a colonial imposition. It demonstrates that, on the contrary, Tswana communities embraced the death penalty for a variety of crimes although it was applied fairly idiosyncratically and variably. Thereafter, this thesis demonstrates that the death penalty was not politicized during the colonial period – or, at least not to suppress dissent, unlike other countries that waged bitter struggles for independence. Moreover, it contends that even in the post-colonial period the country has not used the death penalty for any politically motivated purposes – at least, not internally. It is arguable that Botswana has not entertained any outside pressure to abolish the death penalty at least partly to assert its independence and sovereignty, refusing to bow to diplomatic pressure. Consequently, the Botswana courts have maintained jurisdiction over crimes that attract capital punishment without any external influence. The thesis also shows changes over time in how Botswana has handled passion killing and ritual murder crimes. It delves deeper into the doctrine of extenuating circumstances and what has been accepted in the courts of law to diminish the moral culpability of the accused at the time of committing the crime. Finally, the thesis explores the abolition movement and how Botswana remains unyielding to international and local pressure calling for the abolition of the death penalty. en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Hierdie tesis ondersoek die geskiedskrywing oor die doodstraf in Botswana. Dit bied ’n ontleding van hoe daardie land se regstelsel die doodstraf toepas. Die tesis plaas die idiografiese kenmerke van Botswana binne die groter lyfstrafgeskiedenis van Suider-Afrika en tref vergelykings. Dit stel eerstens die teorieë reg van menseregte-aktiviste wat die prekoloniale Tswana-gemeenskappe probeer ‘suiwer’ deur aan te voer dat lyfstraf ’n koloniale instelling was. Daarenteen word daar getoon dat Tswana-gemeenskappe die doodstraf vir verskeie misdrywe aanvaar het, hoewel dit betreklik idiosinkraties en inkonsekwent toegepas is. Daarna toon die tesis dat die doodstraf nie in die koloniale tydperk gepolitiseer is, of minstens nie gebruik is om andersdenkendes die swye op te lê soos in ander lande wat ’n bitter stryd om onafhanklikheid gevoer het nie. Boonop voer dit aan dat die land selfs nie in die postkoloniale tydperk die doodstraf vir enige polities gemotiveerde doeleindes gebruik het nie – minstens nie intern nie. ’n Mens kan redeneer dat Botswana weerstand gebied het teen druk van buite om die doodstraf af te skaf, en geweier het om aan diplomatieke druk toe te gee, ten minste deels om sy onafhanklikheid en soewereiniteit te bevestig. Gevolglik het die howe van die land regsbevoegdheid behou oor misdrywe wat strafbaar is met die dood, sonder enige eksterne invloed. Die tesis toon ook hoe Botswana se hantering van passiemoord en rituele moord oor tyd verander het. Dit delf dieper in die leerstelling van versagtende omstandighede en die faktore wat, na die howe se mening, die beskuldigde moreel minder toerekeningsvatbaar maak ten tyde van die misdryf. Laastens verken die tesis die afskaffingsbeweging en hoe Botswana onwrikbaar bly in sy standpunt te midde van internasionale en plaaslike druk om die doodstraf af te skaf.af_ZA
dc.description.versionDoctoralen_ZA
dc.format.extentv, 247 pages : illustrations, mapsen_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/127250
dc.language.isoen_ZA
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.subjectBechuanalanden_ZA
dc.subjectPassion killingen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshCapital punishment -- Botswana -- Historyen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshRitual murder en_ZA
dc.subject.lcshExtenuating circumstances -- Botswanaen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshWomen -- Crimes against -- Botswanaen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshHuman rights -- Africaen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshCapital punishment -- Moral and ethical aspectsen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshTswana (African people)en_ZA
dc.subject.lcshExecutions and executionersen_ZA
dc.subject.nameUCTD
dc.titleA history of the death penalty in Botswana, c.1891-2021en_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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