JOHANNESBURG: A terminally ill man has been granted the right to end his life in South Africa, where euthanasia is illegal.

For the first time in South Africa, Judge Hans Fabricius on Thursday ruled that Robin Stransham-Ford could be euthanized with no legal or professional consequences for the doctor who will participate.

Stransham-Ford, 65, only has weeks to live, said rights group DignitySA, who supported the court bid and picketed outside the courthouse in the capital Pretoria. Stransham-Ford has prostate cancer, leaving him in constant pain. The medication used to manage his pain leaves him constantly sedated, the group said.

Stransham-Ford is being cared for by the mother of his 12-year-old daughter, and wants to die at home with his family, said the group.