Euthanasia is an uncomplicated or painless death,or the deliberate ending of the life
of an individual suffering from an untreatable or painful disease at his or her
request.According to South African law physician assisted suicide (euthanasia)is
illegal within the country.
Physician assisted suicide (euthanasia)have been a contentious and sometimes a
prohibited topic for a long period not only in South Africa but also globally(S Afr Med
J 2018;108(6):484-489.).For many years,euthanasia and physician assisted suicide
(PAS) have been a subject that no one have been brave enough to mention.But,over
the past few 10 years,the topic has come out as a very relevant issue around the
world,for many reasons ,so much that these life-ending doings have already been
decriminalized in some developed countries.In the countries where the applications
have been decriminalized,or legalized ,the consequences of the decriminalisation
have been comparatively well documented.On the other hand,in countries like South
Africa where they are not legalized or not should be decriminalized (taking into
deliberation the issue)should be talked about and an agreement reached,sooner
rather than later(S Afr J Bioethics Law 2018;11(2):66-69).
A general agreement concerning the practicability of decriminalizing euthanasia or
physician assisted suicide in South Africa is needed because these applications are
becoming more and more common ,mostly among individuals with incurable
illnesses.Moreover ,the comparative ease with which sufferers who seriously seek to
end their life through either of the previously mentioned methods,and are able to
access them by applying for them in countries where the relevant laws and rules are
adjudged to be more tolerant is alarming (S Afr J Bioethics Law 2018;11(2):66-69)
Legalizing physician assisted suicide (euthanasia)would mean that the South African
law is allowing murder to be legal.Legalising euthanasia or physician assisted
suicide would make people to be at a risk of shoving the society worried down a
slope that would eventually lead it to look like Nazi Germany(Jacobs, 2018)The Nazi
Germany analogy intend to highlight the point that those who practice euthanasia or
PAS may (accidentally)become ‘dehumanized’ leading in non-beneficent
