DignitySA has approached the North Gauteng High Court to initiate a legal process aimed at decriminalising and legalising assisted dying.

The organisation says this constitutional challenge is the culmination of 15 years of advocacy for the right of South Africans to choose a dignified end when facing intractable and unbearable suffering.

The application seeks to declare the current common-law prohibition of assisted dying unconstitutional and invalid.

DignitySA defines “assisted dying” as a medically assisted death that is either self-administered or doctor-administered, strictly governed by eligibility criteria and robust safeguards.

The case is built on the fundamental rights enshrined in the South African Constitution, specifically the rights to human dignity, bodily autonomy, life and freedom.

Chairperson and co-founder of DignitySA, Willem Landman, says they are asking the court to recognise that a person’s human dignity is severely diminished when they lose control over the manner of their dying.

DignitySA seeks to ensure that any person meeting strict criteria – including being mentally competent, suffering from an irremediable condition, and making a voluntary request – can access medical assistance in dying.

The organisation says the challenge follows years of legal preparation and is bolstered by the support of prominent medical professionals who argue that assisted dying, responsibly practised, conforms to the core principles of medical ethics.

To sign DignitySA’s petition, click HERE.