The 1995 landmark case, S v Makwanyane and another, saw the constitutional court rule the death penalty as unconstitutional, citing ubuntu as a foundational principle of the constitution. Janice linden, a South African citizen, was executed in China for drug smuggling; this after appeals by former president Jacob Zuma, to spare her life, were rejected. Ashley Oosthuizen is currently serving a life sentence in a Thai prison for the same crime.
The constitutional court recently ruled in favour of granting Polish national, Janusz Walus parole. He was convicted of the murder of political figure and liberation hero Chris Hani.