>>> import subprocess
>>> subprocess.call('uname -a', shell=True)
Linux krolik-PC 3.0.0-8-generic #11-Ubuntu SMP Fri Aug 12 20:23:58 UTC 2011 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
0
>>>
subprocess.call("kill -TERM 'cat /var/run/openldap/slapd.pid'", shell=True)