wouldn't not holding a referundum show they are sticking to their stance if as you say that the majority support the re-introduction?
I don't see what you're getting at. The point is that the majority isn't necessarily right.
It's not just the death penalty either - support for gay marriage in South Africa is also extremely soft. The only reason we have it is because the Constitution is slightly more liberal than the population.
So far the ANC has sided with the Constitution rather than the majority on issues like this, but JZ's ridiculous comments show that those times may be limited if someone doesn't smack him on the head and tell him to think before he opens his mouth.