ASSISTED DYING

What is the current legal status in South Africa?

Medically assisted dying is currently not legal in South Africa and in 2025 DignitySA submitted a court case to challenge this. In 2016, when the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) overturned the High Court’s ground-breaking ruling in favour of Robin Stransham-Ford’s application, the SCA's reasoning and the overall context of the case established a promising, albeit indirect, legal precedent in South Africa. 

At the time, the core of the debate was framed in terms of constitutional rights vs. common law prohibition, and this elevated the issue from a purely criminal matter to a constitutional one, laying the foundation for future, better-prepared challenges such as ours. We expect that it will take many years to move through the courts and our case will require ongoing financial support. To help us make history, please vision our Donate page (8) and sign our petition.