when was the constitution of south africa completed
4 February 1997
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Constitution of South Africa The Constitution of South Africa is the supreme law of the Republic of South Africa. It provides the legal foundation for the existence of the republic, sets out the rights and duties of its citizens, and defines the structure of the government. The current constitution, the country's fifth, was drawn up by the Parliament elected in 1994 in the South African general election, 1994. It was promulgated by President Nelson Mandela on 18 December 1996 and came into effect on 4 February 1997, replacing the Interim Constitution of 1993. Since 1996, the Constitution has been amended
Constitution of South Africa
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First Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The First Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa made changes related to the oath of office of the Acting President and to the jurisdiction of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It was enacted by the Parliament of South Africa, and signed by President Mandela on 28 August 1997. However it was deemed to come into effect retroactively, from 4 February 1997, the date when the constitution itself came into force. The Act made three technical modifications to the Constitution: This last change allowed the TRC to deal with various violent events,
First Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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Constitution of South Africa The Constitution of South Africa is the supreme law of the Republic of South Africa. It provides the legal foundation for the existence of the republic, sets out the rights and duties of its citizens, and defines the structure of the government. The current constitution, the country's fifth, was drawn up by the Parliament elected in 1994 in the South African general election, 1994. It was promulgated by President Nelson Mandela on 18 December 1996 and came into effect on 4 February 1997, replacing the Interim Constitution of 1993. Since 1996, the Constitution has been amended
Constitution of South Africa
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Interim Constitution (South Africa) The Interim Constitution was the fundamental law of South Africa from the first non-racial general election on 27 April 1994 until it was superseded by the final constitution on 4 February 1997. As a transitional constitution it required the newly elected Parliament to also serve as a constituent assembly to adopt a final constitution. It made provision for a major restructuring of government as a consequence of the abolition of apartheid. It also introduced an entrenched bill of rights against which legislation and government action could be tested, and created the Constitutional Court with broad powers
Interim Constitution (South Africa)
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South African Constitution of 1961 The Constitution of 1961 (formally the Republic of South Africa Constitution Act, 1961) was the fundamental law of South Africa for two decades. Under the terms of the constitution South Africa left the Commonwealth and became a republic. Legally, the Union of South Africa, which had existed since 1910, came to an end and was re-established as the "Republic of South Africa". Republicanism was always a major tenet of Afrikaner nationalism. Even when nationalists controlled the government, however, political realities prevented this goal from being attained prior to the 1960s. On 3 August 1960, the
South African Constitution of 1961
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South African Constitution of 1983 The Constitution of 1983 (formally the Republic of South Africa Constitution Act, 1983) was South Africa's third constitution. It replaced the republican constitution that had been adopted when South Africa became a republic in 1961 and was in force for ten years before it was superseded by the Interim Constitution on 27 April 1994, which in turn led to the current Constitution of South Africa, which has been in force since 1997. The creation of the 1983 constitution was spearheaded by then-Prime Minister P.W. Botha. It was approved by white voters in a referendum on
South African Constitution of 1983
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its replacement, the Republic of South Africa Constitution Act (32 of 1961). However, the last vestiges of the 1909 Act finally disappeared in 1983 when the apartheid-era government enacted a new constitution, the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act (110 of 1983). The structure of the government of the Union of South Africa was similar to the government of other British Dominions. A Governor-General of South Africa was appointed to represent the British Monarch, who was also the Monarch of South Africa. Executive power was vested in the Monarch/Governor-General and was exercised on the advice of the Executive
South Africa Act 1909
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idealistic freedoms that did not exist anywhere in the world. Following the rejection of Schwarz’s bill, fellow PFP MPs' Helen Suzman, Colin Eglin, Ray Swart and Dave Dalling attempted a further four times to introduce a Bill of Rights. The Bills were effectively blocked by the National Party by placing them at the end of the order paper. South African Constitution of 1983 The Constitution of 1983 (formally the Republic of South Africa Constitution Act, 1983) was South Africa's third constitution. It replaced the republican constitution that had been adopted when South Africa became a republic in 1961 and was
South African Constitution of 1983
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academics. Two-thirds had fought on both sides of the Second Boer War. By the end of the convention, the delegates had drawn up a constitution that would, subject to some amendments by the British government, become the South Africa Act, which was South Africa's constitution between 1910 and 1961, when the country became a republic under the Constitution of 1961. The first attempt to establish a union of the colonies of Southern Africa was in 1858, when burghers of the Orange Free State sent a petition to Sir George Grey, the then Governor of the Cape Colony, requesting the formation
National Convention (South Africa)
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between 1991 and 1993 and led to the end of the apartheid system, was the second constitutional convention that occurred in South Africa to draft a new constitution. It led to the adoption of the 1993 "interim" Constitution, and at the same time the end of the parliamentary sovereignty that had started in 1910 when the South Africa Act came into being. National Convention (South Africa) The National Convention (Dutch: "Nationale Conventie", Afrikaans: "Nasionale Konvensie"), also known as the Convention on the Closer Union of South Africa or the Closer Union Convention, was a constitutional convention held between 1908 and
National Convention (South Africa)
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executive position of Deputy President of South Africa was established in 1994. Vice State President of South Africa The Vice State President of South Africa was a position established between 1981 and 1984. Alwyn Schlebusch was the only holder of the position. The position was created under constitutional reforms in 1981, which abolished the Senate, and created a President's Council, chaired by the Vice State President, to advise on the drafting of a new constitution. The post was abolished when the 1983 Constitution came into effect, combining the ceremonial post of State President with that of Prime Minister, to create
Vice State President of South Africa
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were replaced by an executive State President. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1993 or Interim Constitution was introduced at the end of apartheid to govern the period of transition. It introduced universal adult suffrage, constitutional supremacy and a bill of rights. Constitution of South Africa The Constitution of South Africa is the supreme law of the Republic of South Africa. It provides the legal foundation for the existence of the republic, sets out the rights and duties of its citizens, and defines the structure of the government. The current constitution, the country's fifth, was drawn up by
Constitution of South Africa
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Second Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Second Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa extended the terms of municipal councils and made various changes relating to certain independent commissions. It was enacted by the Parliament of South Africa, and signed by President Mandela on 28 September 1998. It came into force on 7 October of the same year. The Act made various changes to the Constitution: The official short title of the amendment is "Constitution Second Amendment Act of 1998". It was originally titled "Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Amendment Act, 1998" and numbered as
Second Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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Deputy Chief Justice of South Africa The Deputy Chief Justice of South Africa is a judge in the Constitutional Court of South Africa and the second-highest judicial post in the Republic of South Africa, after the Chief Justice. The post, originally called "Deputy President of the Constitutional Court", was created in September 1995 by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Second Amendment Act, 1995, which was an amendment to the Interim Constitution. The position was retained by the final Constitution which came into force in February 1997. In November 2001 the Sixth Amendment of the Constitution of South
Deputy Chief Justice of South Africa
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Eleventh Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Eleventh Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa renamed the Northern Province to Limpopo, altered the procedure for intervention by the national government in a failing provincial government and intervention by a provincial government in a failing municipality, and expanded the powers of the provincial executive when it intervenes in a municipality. The bill was passed by the National Assembly on 25 February 2003 with 305 votes in favour, more than the required two-thirds majority, and by the National Council of Provinces on 25 March with all nine provinces in favour.
Eleventh Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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was originally titled "Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Fifth Amendment Act, 1999" and numbered as Act No. 2 of 1999, but the Citation of Constitutional Laws Act, 2005 renamed it and abolished the practice of giving Act numbers to constitutional amendments. Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa made two technical changes, one relating to national election procedures and the other to the membership of the Financial and Fiscal Commission. It was enacted by the Parliament of South Africa, signed by Acting President Thabo Mbeki on 17 March
Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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In July 1979 a High Court was established for the Venda bantustan. In September of the same year Venda became nominally independent from South Africa, and its court became the Supreme Court of Venda, although decisions of the court could still be appealed to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of South Africa. When Venda was reincorporated into South Africa in 1994 the court continued to exist, and when the current Constitution of South Africa came into force it became one of the High Courts. It was known as the Venda Division until 2009, when it received the name
Limpopo Division
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It was signed by President Thabo Mbeki on 9 April, and came into force on 11 July. The official short title of the amendment is "Constitution Eleventh Amendment Act of 2003". It was originally titled "Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Second Amendment Act, 2003" and numbered as Act No. 3 of 2003, but the Citation of Constitutional Laws Act, 2005 renamed it and abolished the practice of giving Act numbers to constitutional amendments. Eleventh Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Eleventh Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa renamed the Northern Province to Limpopo, altered the
Eleventh Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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is "Constitution Eighth Amendment Act of 2002". It was originally titled "Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Amendment Act, 2002" and numbered as Act No. 18 of 2002, but the Citation of Constitutional Laws Act, 2005 renamed it and abolished the practice of giving Act numbers to constitutional amendments. Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa allowed members of municipal councils to cross the floor from one political party to another without losing their seats. It came into force on 20 June 2002, and was effectively repealed on 17
Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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Vice State President of South Africa The Vice State President of South Africa was a position established between 1981 and 1984. Alwyn Schlebusch was the only holder of the position. The position was created under constitutional reforms in 1981, which abolished the Senate, and created a President's Council, chaired by the Vice State President, to advise on the drafting of a new constitution. The post was abolished when the 1983 Constitution came into effect, combining the ceremonial post of State President with that of Prime Minister, to create an executive post, with only provision for an Acting State President. The
Vice State President of South Africa
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of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, was negotiated and promulgated. The Interim Constitution was repealed by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa holds the all important Bill of Rights, sets up the administrative, judicial and political systems and structures, defines provincial and municipal systems and structures, provides for the passing of laws to necessary to enforce aspects of the Constitution, and sets up institutions such as the Human Rights Commission, which are necessary to safeguard the ideals contained in the Constitution. "The Constitution of the Republic of South
South African Statutes and other Legislation
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Constitution of the Western Cape The Constitution of the Western Cape is, subject to the Constitution of South Africa, the highest law regulating the structure and powers of the government of the Western Cape province of South Africa. It was enacted by the Western Cape Provincial Legislature in terms of Chapter 6 of the national constitution, and came into force on 16 January 1998. The Western Cape is the only South African province to have adopted a constitution. The current nine provinces of South Africa were created by the Interim Constitution, which was drawn up during the negotiations to end
Constitution of the Western Cape
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30 April 1961, after he signed the new republican constitution into law. Chief Justice Lucas Cornelius Steyn became Officer Administering the Government under a transitional arrangement until 31 May 1961, when the Republic of South Africa was declared and Swart become the first State President of South Africa. Governor-General of South Africa The Governor-General of the Union of South Africa (, ) was the highest state official in the Union of South Africa between 31 May 1910 and 31 May 1961. The Union of South Africa was founded as a self-governing Dominion of the British Empire in 1910 and the
Governor-General of South Africa
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members of the provincial legislatures to cross the floor at certain times without losing their seats. The Ninth Amendment consequently modified the constitution to provide that, if such floor-crossing occurs in a provincial legislature, then the seats in that province's NCOP delegation must be reallocated according to the new makeup of the legislature, and also that permanent delegates' terms of office expire when such a reallocation happens. The amendment was introduced to Parliament as the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Second Amendment Bill, part of a package of four bills dealing with floor-crossing. The others were the Constitution
Ninth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. The official short title of the amendment is "Constitution Tenth Amendment Act of 2003". It was originally titled "Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Amendment Act, 2003" and numbered as Act No. 2 of 2003, but the Citation of Constitutional Laws Act, 2005 renamed it and abolished the practice of giving Act numbers to constitutional amendments. Tenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Tenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa altered the provisions relating to membership of the National Assembly and the provincial legislatures, to allow members of those bodies to
Tenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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of the amendment is "Constitution Seventh Amendment Act of 2001". It was originally titled "Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Second Amendment Act, 2001" and numbered as Act No. 61 of 2001, but the Citation of Constitutional Laws Act, 2005 renamed it and abolished the practice of giving Act numbers to constitutional amendments. Seventh Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Seventh Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa made various changes involving the financial management of national and provincial government. Most of its provisions came into force on 26 April 2002, and the remainder on 1 December
Seventh Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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particularly the Bophuthatswana "coup d'état" and its aftermath, that had occurred in the run-up to the 1994 general elections. The official short title of the amendment is "Constitution First Amendment Act of 1997". It was originally titled "Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Amendment Act, 1997" and numbered as Act No. 35 of 1997, but the Citation of Constitutional Laws Act, 2005 renamed it and abolished the practice of giving Act numbers to constitutional amendments. First Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The First Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa made changes related to the oath of
First Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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to South Africa H. K. Yang noting, "South Africa and my country are joined in the fight against communism. We are in favour of free enterprise, democracy and freedom". Relations expanded in the 1980s with South African leader P. W. Botha visiting in 1980 as Prime Minister. Earlier in 1980, former Taiwan Premier Sun Yun-suan visited South Africa. Vice President of Taiwan Hsieh Tung-min was present when the 1983 South African Constitution was inaugurated. Botha visited Taiwan again in 1986, this time as State President. Trade and political relations grew until the 1990s, when Nelson Mandela withdrew recognition of the
South Africa–Taiwan relations
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Chapter One of the Constitution of South Africa Chapter 1 of the Constitution of South Africa, titled Founding Provisions and containing six sections, enshrines in the constitution key national principles, defines the country's flag and national anthem, and specifies the official languages and principles of government language policy. Section 1, ""Republic of South Africa"", defines South Africa as "one, sovereign, democratic state" and lists the country's founding values as: This section is more deeply entrenched than the rest of the constitution; it would require the agreement of three-quarters (300) of the members of the National Assembly and six of the
Chapter One of the Constitution of South Africa
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River Colonybecame provinces of the new country, and the colonies' parliaments were abolished and most of their powers transferred to the new Parliament of the Union. The provincial councils were created to legislate on those matters which the South Africa Act allocated to the provinces. When South Africa became a republic in 1961, the Constitution of 1961 preserved the provincial councils unchanged, except that the powers previously vested in the Governor-General now vested in the State President. In 1973 the law relating to the delimitation of electoral divisions and the dissolution of provincial councils was altered by the Constitution and
Provincial council (South Africa)
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South African constitutional law South African constitutional law is the area of South African law relating to the interpretation and application of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa by the country's courts. All laws of South Africa must conform with the Constitution; any laws inconsistent with the Constitution have no force or effect. South Africa is generally considered to have had five constitutional documents since the Union was established in 1910, including the current one. The constitutions in chronological order are - The Interim Constitution abolished South Africa's system of parliamentary sovereignty and replaced it with a dispensation
South African constitutional law
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dissolve a provincial council before its statutory term expired. Under the Constitution and Elections Amendment Act, 1973, the State President was given the power to dissolve the provincial councils at the same time as the House of Assembly, so that the subsequent provincial election could take place on the same day as a parliamentary general election. The provincial councils had the power to make laws, known as "ordinances", dealing with certain topics listed in the South Africa Act and in the Constitution Act that replaced it when South Africa became a republic. These topics were: The provincial councils were always
Provincial council (South Africa)
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Act No. 65 of 1998, but the Citation of Constitutional Laws Act, 2005 renamed it and abolished the practice of giving Act numbers to constitutional amendments. Second Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Second Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa extended the terms of municipal councils and made various changes relating to certain independent commissions. It was enacted by the Parliament of South Africa, and signed by President Mandela on 28 September 1998. It came into force on 7 October of the same year. The Act made various changes to the Constitution: The official short title of
Second Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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to constitutional amendments. Third Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Third Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa made changes to allow the creation of municipalities that cross provincial boundaries. It was enacted by the Parliament of South Africa, signed by President Mandela on 20 October 1998, and came into force on the 30th of the same month. The changes it made were reversed in 2005 by the Twelfth Amendment. The amendment added two clauses to the Constitution. The first allowed municipal boundaries to be established across provincial boundaries by the agreement of the national and the relevant
Third Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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Third Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Third Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa made changes to allow the creation of municipalities that cross provincial boundaries. It was enacted by the Parliament of South Africa, signed by President Mandela on 20 October 1998, and came into force on the 30th of the same month. The changes it made were reversed in 2005 by the Twelfth Amendment. The amendment added two clauses to the Constitution. The first allowed municipal boundaries to be established across provincial boundaries by the agreement of the national and the relevant provincial governments, and
Third Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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of the Republic of South Africa Amendment Act, 1999" and numbered as Act No. 3 of 1999, but the Citation of Constitutional Laws Act, 2005 renamed it and abolished the practice of giving Act numbers to constitutional amendments. Fourth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa made two technical changes relating to the calling of provincial elections and the choice of delegates to the National Council of Provinces. It was enacted by the Parliament of South Africa, signed by Acting President Thabo Mbeki on 17 March 1999, and came into force
Fourth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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by seventeen amendment acts. The Constitution is formally entitled the "Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996." It was previously also numbered as if it were an Act of Parliament—Act No. 108 of 1996—but, since the passage of the Citation of Constitutional Laws Act, neither it nor the acts amending it are allocated act numbers. An integral part of the negotiations to end apartheid in South Africa was the creation of a new constitution. One of the major disputed issues was the process by which such a constitution would be adopted. The African National Congress (ANC) insisted that it
Constitution of South Africa
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negotiations, in what was known as the Multi-Party Negotiating Process (MPNP). A committee of the MPNP proposed the development of a collection of "constitutional principles" with which the final constitution would have to comply, so that basic freedoms would be ensured and minority rights protected, without overly limiting the role of the elected constitutional assembly. Adopting this idea, the parties to the MPNP drew up the Interim Constitution, which was formally enacted by Parliament and came into force on 27 April 1994. Interim Constitution (South Africa) The Interim Constitution was the fundamental law of South Africa from the first non-racial
Interim Constitution (South Africa)
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Deputy President of South Africa The Deputy President of South Africa is the deputy head of government of South Africa. They are a member of the National Assembly and the Cabinet. The Deputy President is constitutionally required to "assist the President in the execution of the functions of government", and may be assigned any government portfolio by presidential proclamation. The Deputy President performs the duties of the President of South Africa when the President is outside the country's borders, unable to fulfill the duties of the office, or when the Presidency is vacant. Under the interim constitution (valid from 1994
Deputy President of South Africa
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Seventeenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Seventeenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa (formally the Constitution Seventeenth Amendment Act of 2012) made a number of changes to the structure of the South African judiciary. The bill for the amendment was passed by the National Assembly on 20 November 2012 with the required two-thirds majority; because it is a constitutional amendment not affecting the provinces it was not required to be voted on by the National Council of Provinces. The act was signed by President Jacob Zuma on 1 February 2013, and a presidential proclamation brought it
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country "built on lies" and "run by hypocrites", and implored Tutu to continue inviting him to South Africa to "test [South Africa's] government". Opposition and COSATU politicians again accused the ANC government of "betraying South Africa's sovereignty and Constitution." Others in South Africa argued that the Dalai Lama's physical nonattendance was ultimately in South Africa's interests, reasoning that "it's easier to Skype in the Dalai Lama than [to find] billions in alternative investments." Dalai Lama was again unable to enter South Africa when he was invited to attend the Nobel Peace Laureates world summit in October 2014. It is alleged
China–South Africa relations
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Chapter Two of the Constitution of South Africa Chapter Two of the Constitution of South Africa contains the Bill of Rights, a human rights charter that protects the civil, political and socio-economic rights of all people in South Africa. The rights in the Bill apply to all law, including the common law, and bind all branches of the government, including the national executive, Parliament, the judiciary, provincial governments and municipal councils. Some provisions, such as those prohibiting unfair discrimination, also apply to the actions of private persons. South Africa's first bill of rights was contained in Chapter 3 of the
Chapter Two of the Constitution of South Africa
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of general public importance that it chooses to hear. It also removes the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of Appeal over appeals from the Labour Appeal Court and the Competition Appeal Court. It alters references to the High Courts so that they are regarded as divisions of a single High Court of South Africa rather than separate courts. Seventeenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Seventeenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa (formally the Constitution Seventeenth Amendment Act of 2012) made a number of changes to the structure of the South African judiciary. The bill for the
Seventeenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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Freedom of religion in South Africa South Africa is a secular state, with freedom of religion enshrined in the Constitution. The preamble to post-apartheid South Africa's Constitution of 1996 contains references to God in the form of a multilingual evocation asking for God's protection and blessing. Dutch theologian Johannes van der Ven describes this text as a "rhetorical petition prayer". The Constitution nevertheless enshrines the right to freedom of religion. Chapter 2 of the Constitution of South Africa, the Bill of Rights, contains a number of provisions dealing with religious freedom. Section 9, the equality clause, prohibits unfair discrimination on
Freedom of religion in South Africa
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practical and demographic factors in choosing languages for the purposes of government. The section also establishes the Pan South African Language Board, which must advance the use of the official languages, the Khoi, Nama and San languages, and sign language, and advance respect for other languages used by communities or religious groups in South Africa. Chapter One of the Constitution of South Africa Chapter 1 of the Constitution of South Africa, titled Founding Provisions and containing six sections, enshrines in the constitution key national principles, defines the country's flag and national anthem, and specifies the official languages and principles of
Chapter One of the Constitution of South Africa
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Fourth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa made two technical changes relating to the calling of provincial elections and the choice of delegates to the National Council of Provinces. It was enacted by the Parliament of South Africa, signed by Acting President Thabo Mbeki on 17 March 1999, and came into force two days later. It was signed and came into force simultaneously with the Fifth Amendment; the two amendments were separated because the Fourth involved provincial matters and had to be passed by the National Council of Provinces while
Fourth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa made two technical changes, one relating to national election procedures and the other to the membership of the Financial and Fiscal Commission. It was enacted by the Parliament of South Africa, signed by Acting President Thabo Mbeki on 17 March 1999, and came into force two days later. It was signed and came into force simultaneously with the Fourth Amendment; the two amendments were separated because the Fourth involved provincial matters and had to be passed by the National Council of Provinces while
Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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Constitutional Court of South Africa The Constitutional Court of South Africa is a supreme constitutional court established by the Constitution of South Africa. It was originally the final appellate court for constitutional matters. Since the enactment of the Superior Courts Act in 2013, the Constitutional Court has jurisdiction to hear any matter if it is in the interests of justice for it to do so. The court was first established by the Interim Constitution of 1993, and its first session began in February 1995. It has continued in existence under the Constitution of 1996. The court sits in the city
Constitutional Court of South Africa
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Sixteenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Sixteenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa (formally the Constitution Sixteenth Amendment Act of 2009) transferred Merafong City Local Municipality from North West to Gauteng, altering the boundary between the two provinces. It alters the sections of Schedule 1A to the Constitution that define the geographical areas of the two provinces. The amendment came about in response to the ongoing, and sometimes violent, protests by the people of Khutsong, which had previously been transferred from Gauteng to the North West by the Twelfth Amendment. The bill for the amendment was
Sixteenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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Fifteenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Fifteenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa (formally the Constitution Fifteenth Amendment Act of 2008) repealed some of the provisions inserted into the Constitution by the Eighth and Tenth Amendments which allowed for floor-crossing, that is, allowed members of legislative bodies to move from one political party to another without losing their seats. The remaining floor-crossing provisions were repealed by the Fourteenth Amendment, which was enacted at the same time. The Fourteenth Amendment contained the repeal provisions which affected the provincial legislatures and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), and
Fifteenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa (formally the Constitution Fourteenth Amendment Act of 2008) repealed some of the provisions inserted into the Constitution by the Ninth and Tenth Amendments which allowed for floor-crossing, that is, allowed members of legislative bodies to move from one political party to another without losing their seats. The remaining floor-crossing provisions were repealed by the Fifteenth Amendment, which was enacted at the same time. The Fourteenth Amendment contained the repeal provisions which affected the provincial legislatures and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), and
Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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and came into force on 17 April 2009, days before the 2009 general election. Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa (formally the Constitution Fourteenth Amendment Act of 2008) repealed some of the provisions inserted into the Constitution by the Ninth and Tenth Amendments which allowed for floor-crossing, that is, allowed members of legislative bodies to move from one political party to another without losing their seats. The remaining floor-crossing provisions were repealed by the Fifteenth Amendment, which was enacted at the same time. The Fourteenth Amendment contained the repeal
Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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Africa had "never conducted a clandestine nuclear test." Six nuclear devices were completed between 1980 and 1990, but all were dismantled before South Africa signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1991. Each of the nine provinces is governed by a unicameral legislature, which is elected every five years by party-list proportional representation. The legislature elects a Premier as head of government, and the Premier appoints an Executive Council as a provincial cabinet. The powers of provincial governments are limited to topics listed in the Constitution; these topics include such fields as health, education, public housing and transport. The provinces are
South Africa
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its seat in Pietermaritzburg. In 1856 Natal was detached from the Cape and became a separate colony, and in 1857 the District Court was replaced by a Supreme Court of Natal. When the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, the Supreme Court of Natal became the Natal Provincial Division of the Supreme Court of South Africa; at the same time, the circuit court at Durban became the Durban & Coast Local Division. When the current Constitution of South Africa came into force in 1997, the courts became High Courts, and in 2009 they were renamed the KwaZulu-Natal High
KwaZulu-Natal Division
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Khutsong, was transferred back to Gauteng by the Sixteenth Amendment. Twelfth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Twelfth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa (formally the Constitution Twelfth Amendment Act of 2005) altered the boundaries of seven of South Africa's nine provinces. It also redefined all of the provinces' geographical areas in terms of the areas of district and metropolitan municipalities, and repealed the provisions introduced by the Third Amendment that allowed municipal areas to cross provincial boundaries. A number of the boundary changes were highly controversial and led to popular protest and court challenges. Before the
Twelfth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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It was renamed several times, becoming the Black States Constitution Act, 1971, then the National States Constitution Act, 1971, and finally the Self-governing Territories Constitution Act, 1971. The Act was repealed by the Interim Constitution of South Africa on 27 April 1994. Bantu Homelands Constitution Act, 1971 The Bantu Homelands Constitution Act, 1971 enabled the government of South Africa to grant independence to any "Homeland" as determined by the South African apartheid government. In accordance with this act, independence was eventually granted to Transkei in 1976, Bophuthatswana in 1977, Venda in 1979, and Ciskei in 1981. The granting of independence
Bantu Homelands Constitution Act, 1971
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introduced in the National Assembly and published on 15 January 2009. It was passed by the National Assembly on 18 February with 286 votes in favour, 2 against and 13 abstentions. It was passed by the National Council of Provinces on 19 March with all nine provinces voting in favour. The amendment was signed by President Kgalema Motlanthe on 25 March and came into force on 3 April, weeks before the 2009 general election. Sixteenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Sixteenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa (formally the Constitution Sixteenth Amendment Act of 2009) transferred
Sixteenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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History of women's rights in South Africa For much of South Africa's history, women have been treated as second class citizens. While all women have been disadvantaged, black women have dealt with additional struggles due to apartheid. Legal systems have played a large part in the systematic oppression of South African women. In addition, South Africa struggles with extremely high rates of rape and sexual violence. It was not until the introduction of the Constitution of South Africa in 1996 that all women in South Africa were formally recognized as equal citizens. In this Constitution, there was a special paragraph
History of women's rights in South Africa
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wherein the Constitution is the supreme law, as opposed to the will of Parliament. The previous three constitutions were all subject to parliamentary amendment with, generally, a simple majority, therefore were not considered extraordinary statutes. South African constitutional law South African constitutional law is the area of South African law relating to the interpretation and application of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa by the country's courts. All laws of South Africa must conform with the Constitution; any laws inconsistent with the Constitution have no force or effect. South Africa is generally considered to have had five constitutional
South African constitutional law
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1996. The South Africa Act 1909, an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, unified four British coloniesCape Colony, Transvaal Colony, Orange River Colony and Natal Colonyinto the Union of South Africa, a self-governing Dominion. The Republic of South Africa Constitution Act, 1961 transformed the Union into a Republic, replacing the Queen with a State President, but otherwise leaving the system of government unchanged. The Republic of South Africa Constitution Act, 1983 created the Tricameral Parliament, with separate houses representing white, coloured and Indian people but without representation for black people. The figurehead State President and executive Prime Minister
Constitution of South Africa
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marry 230 to 41, which was subsequently approved by the National Council of Provinces on 28 November in a 36 to 11 vote, and the law came into effect two days later. South Africa was the fifth country, the first (and only, ) in Africa, the first in the southern hemisphere, the first republic, and the second outside Europe to legalise same-sex marriage. South Africa was the first country in the world to safeguard sexual orientation as a human right in its Constitution. Both the Interim Constitution, which came into force on 27 April 1994, and the final Constitution, which
Same-sex marriage in South Africa
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Twelfth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Twelfth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa (formally the Constitution Twelfth Amendment Act of 2005) altered the boundaries of seven of South Africa's nine provinces. It also redefined all of the provinces' geographical areas in terms of the areas of district and metropolitan municipalities, and repealed the provisions introduced by the Third Amendment that allowed municipal areas to cross provincial boundaries. A number of the boundary changes were highly controversial and led to popular protest and court challenges. Before the Twelfth Amendment, the Constitution defined the provincial boundaries by reference
Twelfth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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African War. The Union of South Africa, a British Dominion, was established on 31 May 1910 with the British monarch as titular head of state, represented by a viceroy, the Governor-General. Upon the declaration of the Republic of South Africa on 31 May 1961, the office of State President was created. It was originally a ceremonial post, but became an executive post in 1984 when a new constitution abolished the post of Prime Minister and transferred its powers to the State President. South Africa has an almost unique system for the election of its president. Unlike other former British colonies
President of South Africa
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to administer the territory. The border between South Africa proper and the Territory of South West Africa remained the same as the former colonial border, and when Namibia finally achieved independence in 1990 it became once again an international border. The South African exclave at Walvis Bay was transferred to Namibia in 1994. South Africa claims, on the basis of the 1890 treaty, that the border runs along the north bank of the Orange River. Namibia claims that it follows the middle of the river. The Constitution of Namibia explicitly claims the territory up to the middle of the river,
Namibia–South Africa border
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When the final Constitution came into force in 1997 the remaining General Division of the Supreme Court of Bophuthatswana became one of the High Courts of South Africa. In 2001 the magisterial districts of Vryburg, Lichtenburg, Coligny, Zeerust, Groot Marico, Swartruggens, Koster, Rustenburg and Delareyville were added to its jurisdiction. It was known as the Bophuthatswana Division until 2009, when it was renamed the North West High Court by the Renaming of High Courts Act. In 2013, in the restructuring brought about by the Superior Courts Act, it became the North West Division of the High Court of South Africa.
North West Division of the High Court of South Africa
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Judiciary of South Africa The judiciary of South Africa is the body of judges and magistrates who sit in the courts of South Africa. The judiciary is an independent branch of the government, subject only to the Constitution of South Africa and the laws of the country. The Judiciary interprets the law of South Africa, using as the basis of its interpretation the laws enacted by the South African Parliament as well as explanatory statements made in the legislature during the enactment. Chapter 8 of the Constitution of South Africa defines the structure of the South African judicial system. This
Judiciary of South Africa
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Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa allowed members of municipal councils to cross the floor from one political party to another without losing their seats. It came into force on 20 June 2002, and was effectively repealed on 17 April 2009 by the Fifteenth Amendment. The amendment inserted Schedule 6A, entitled "Loss or retention of membership of Municipal Councils, after a change of party membership, mergers between parties, subdivision of parties and subdivision and merger of parties, and filling of vacancies", into the constitution. This schedule allowed municipal councillors
Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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Amendment came into force, constitutionally enabling floor-crossing in national and provincial legislatures. The changes made by the Ninth Amendment were repealed on 17 April 2009 by the Fourteenth Amendment. The official short title of the amendment is "Constitution Ninth Amendment Act of 2002". It was originally titled "Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Second Amendment Act, 2002" and numbered as Act No. 21 of 2002, but the Citation of Constitutional Laws Act, 2005 renamed it and abolished the practice of giving Act numbers to constitutional amendments. Ninth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Ninth Amendment of the
Ninth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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Seventh Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Seventh Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa made various changes involving the financial management of national and provincial government. Most of its provisions came into force on 26 April 2002, and the remainder on 1 December 2003. The amendment made the following changes to the Constitution: The amendment was passed by the National Assembly on 1 November 2001 with the requisite two-thirds majority (274 votes in favour), and by the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on 15 November with eight of nine provinces in favour, KwaZulu-Natal being the lone dissenter.
Seventh Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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Mbeki on 13 December, and was published and came into force on the following day. Thirteenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Thirteenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa (formally the Constitution Thirteenth Amendment Act of 2007) re-enacted provisions of the Twelfth Amendment which the Constitutional Court ruled had not been validly enacted. These provisions transferred the Matatiele Local Municipality from KwaZulu-Natal province to the Eastern Cape province. The Twelfth Amendment had redefined all provincial boundaries and consequently transferred many areas from one province to another. The community of Matatiele, who were strongly opposed to their inclusion
Thirteenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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Part B, and Schedule 5 Part B, of the Constitution. South African Statutes and other Legislation "The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act", No. 108 of 1996 is the piece of legislation against which each prior piece of legislation must be judged and if necessary be amended, and it is backdrop which has coloured each subsequent piece of legislation promulgated. It was negotiated after the collapse of the race-based apartheid government and the political redefinition of South Africa. During the negotiations around this change the "Interim Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act", No. 200 of 1993
South African Statutes and other Legislation
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South African Statutes and other Legislation "The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act", No. 108 of 1996 is the piece of legislation against which each prior piece of legislation must be judged and if necessary be amended, and it is backdrop which has coloured each subsequent piece of legislation promulgated. It was negotiated after the collapse of the race-based apartheid government and the political redefinition of South Africa. During the negotiations around this change the "Interim Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act", No. 200 of 1993 held the fort, as it were, until the final Constitution
South African Statutes and other Legislation
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exchanging High Commissioners in the 1930s and then ambassadors after South Africa left the Commonwealth in 1961. For a good account of this history, see Brian Douglas Tennyson, "Canadian Relations with South Africa: A Diplomatic History", published by University Press of America in 1982. Canada actively encouraged the end of Apartheid in South Africa and the countries have had normal relations since then. The Constitution of South Africa was, in part, inspired by the Constitution of Canada, particularly the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Former South African President Nelson Mandela made an official state visit to Canada in September
Canada–South Africa relations
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its independence in 1887, when it was incorporated into the Natal Colony, and later the Union of South Africa. The Zulu Kings remained pretenders to their officially abolished thrones during the 20th century, but were granted official authority by the Traditional Leadership Clause of the republican Constitution of South Africa. The constitution recognizes the right of "traditional authorities" to operate by and amend systems of customary law, and directs the courts to apply these laws as applicable. It also empowers the national and provincial legislatures to formally establish houses for and councils of traditional leaders. The Zulu King is head
Non-sovereign monarchy
8883633
South African Press Association The South African Press Association, commonly known as SAPA, is the national news agency of South Africa. The agency was established on 1 July 1938, by major South African newspapers to facilitate the sharing of news. Reuters had dominated the internal supply of news in South Africa until 1938. When SAPA was founded, Reuters retained the exclusive right to supply it with world news. Reuters ended this partnership in 1995, when it began expanding its own Southern African activities in competition with SAPA. In February 1938, the constitution for the new agency was framed, and by
South African Press Association
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into high rates of sexual harassment and assault experienced by women. As a response to these issues, and out of desperation for change in a politically unstable time in the 1980s, feminism in South Africa began to gain traction as women became more politically active. Specifically, feminism in South Africa gained new life in 1994 when the constitution was being rewritten to cater to a post-apartheid, democratic society. During this phase of reconstruction, women unified and lobbied for a more equitable positioning of women within the constitutional framework. Women benefited from the democratization of South Africa as women were the
Feminism in South Africa
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used several years later to create the Constitution of South Africa. In Hungary, the preamble of the 1989 modification referred to its temporary character, a fact recalled when it was finally replaced by an entirely new constitution over two decades later. After 1989, the constitution was amended multiple times. The first changes came in 1990 when, after free elections brought the opposition to power, references to democratic socialism and the planned economy were dropped. (When these had been included half a year earlier, the Communists were thought much more popular than these elections showed them to be). Also that year,
Hungarian Constitution of 1949
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its short title and number (as above). The same applies to provincial legislation, but with reference to the relevant province: for example, "Eastern Cape Provincial Tender Board Act 2 of 1994." The Constitution is usually cited as "Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996," while the Interim Constitution is cited as "Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act 200 of 1993." It is now generally agreed that the final Constitution of 1996 ought, in recognition of its supreme status, not to be cited with its statute number (although it has one). In the citation "s 2(a)(i)(cc)," "s 2A"
Legal interpretation in South Africa
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became provincial divisions of the Supreme Court of South Africa. On receiving nominal independence the bantustans of Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei established their own Supreme Courts; when they were re-integrated into South Africa on 27 April 1994 these courts were given the same status as provincial divisions of the Supreme Court of South Africa. The 1996 Constitution renamed the provincial and local divisions of the Supreme Court of South Africa, as well as the bantustan Supreme Courts, to High Courts. Since that time some changes have been made to rationalise the areas of jurisdiction of the courts; the courts
Courts of South Africa
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only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society," etc. In Canada the "Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms" was adopted in 1982. Section 1 of that "Charter", like section 36 of the South African law, states that rights are "subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society." Chapter Two of the Constitution of South Africa Chapter Two of the Constitution of South Africa contains the Bill of Rights, a human rights charter that protects the civil, political and socio-economic rights
Chapter Two of the Constitution of South Africa
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an effort to get the weapons removed. South Africa ended its nuclear weapons programme in 1989. All the bombs (six constructed and one under construction) were dismantled and South Africa acceded to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons when South African Ambassador to the United States Harry Schwarz signed the treaty in 1991. On 19 August 1994, after completing its inspection, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that one partially completed and six fully completed nuclear weapons had been dismantled. As a result, the IAEA was satisfied that South Africa's nuclear programme had been converted to peaceful
South Africa and weapons of mass destruction
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to be essential to the new Academy, inclusive of all South Africa's leading academics. In 1994, a plan and a draft constitution were adopted. In 1995, 100 founder members were elected, and the Academy of Science of South Africa was launched in 1996 with then-President Nelson Mandela as patron. When the ASSAf Statute was passed, Act 67 of 2001, and the SAAWEK statute was revoked, ASSAf became the official science academy of South Africa. The Academy had a central niche which differed from the previous academy: rather than having a merely honorific function, it was to provide professional, independent evidence-based
Academy of Science of South Africa
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Fiduciary Institute of Southern Africa The Fiduciary Institute of Southern Africa (FISA) is a non-profit professional organisation. It represents fiduciary practitioners and sets high minimum standards for the industry . FISA was formed in 2008, when the Association of Trust Companies in South Africa (ATCSA), which was formed in 1932, was converted to a professional institute with individual membership. A new constitution was adopted to reflect the change of name and membership. Prior to the change, members were the main trust companies in South Africa on a corporate membership basis. After the change, members include employees of trust companies and
Fiduciary Institute of Southern Africa
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law when assented to by the State President (on the advice of the cabinet), and if he refused assent he could return the bill to Parliament with proposed amendments. Once assented to, no court had the power to review the validity of an Act of Parliament unless it affected one of the entrenched clauses of the constitution. The provisions detailing the structure of the Supreme Court of South Africa had been removed from the South Africa Act in 1959 and re-enacted in the Supreme Court Act, 1959. The structure and powers of the judiciary were not affected by the new
South African Constitution of 1961
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CJ held for the majority of the court, required acceptance of the proposition that “the rights nationals have under our Constitution attach to them when they are outside of South Africa, or that the state has an obligation under section 7(2) to ‘respect, protect, promote, and fulfil’ the rights in the Bill of Rights which extends beyond its borders.” According to the court, to the extent that the Constitution provides the framework for the governance of South Africa, it is territorially bound and has no application beyond the borders of the Republic. As for the Bill of Rights, although foreigners
South African constitutional litigation
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Sixth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Sixth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa made a number of changes, most importantly giving the title of "Chief Justice" to the head of the Constitutional Court instead of the head of the Supreme Court of Appeal. It was passed by the National Assembly with the requisite two-thirds majority (279 votes in favour) on 1 November 2001, and signed by President Thabo Mbeki on 20 November; it was published and came into force on the following day. The amendment renamed the post of "Chief Justice" to "President of the Supreme
Sixth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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Sixth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Sixth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa made a number of changes, most importantly giving the title of "Chief Justice" to the head of the Constitutional Court instead of the head of the Supreme Court of Appeal. It was passed by the National Assembly with the requisite two-thirds majority (279 votes in favour) on 1 November 2001, and signed by President Thabo Mbeki on 20 November; it was published and came into force on the following day. The amendment renamed the post of "Chief Justice" to "President of the Supreme
Sixth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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Ninth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Ninth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa modified the scheme for the allocation of seats in the National Council of Provinces, to account for the possibility of changes in the party makeup of provincial legislatures. This was necessary because of other legislation which had been introduced to allow members of the provincial legislatures to cross the floor (move from one party to another) without losing their seats. It came into force on 20 June 2002, and was effectively repealed on 17 April 2009 by the Fourteenth Amendment. The National Council
Ninth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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New Zealand, Canada, and Newfoundland used the word Dominion in the official title of the nation, whereas Australia used Commonwealth of Australia and South Africa Union of South Africa. New Zealand adopted the Statute of Westminster in 1947 and in the same year legislation passed in London gave New Zealand full powers to amend its own constitution. In 1986, the New Zealand parliament passed the Constitution Act 1986, which repealed the Constitution Act of 1852 and the last constitutional links with the United Kingdom, formally ending its Dominion status. The Union of South Africa was formed in 1910 from the
Dominion
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of rights, which later formed part of Chapter Two of the Constitution of South Africa. When the Constitutional Court of South Africa was established with the advent of a post apartheid constitutional and democratic era in 1994, Justice Langa was appointed together with ten others as the first Judges of the new Court. He became its Deputy President in August 1997 and, in November 2001, assumed the position of Deputy Chief Justice of South Africa. He was appointed as the country’s Chief Justice and head of the Constitutional Court with effect from June 2005 until his retirement in October 2009.
Pius Langa
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provide living testimony to the promotion of the values enshrined in our Constitution. Nominees may come from all walks of life. This means that the person/s/organisation can be from any sector. Nominees must be based in South Africa (although they do not have to have been born here) and the reconciliation work has to relate to achievements in South Africa. This requirement has been set out service logistical aspects of the awarding process. A person or organisation cannot nominate him/her/themselves. Only one nomination per person is allowed. A completed motivation and application form needs to be submitted. In previous years,
Reconciliation Award
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State became the Orange River Colony, and a new High Court was established for the colony. When the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910 this court became the Orange Free State Provincial Division of the Supreme Court of South Africa. In 1997, on the adoption of the current Constitution of South Africa, it became a High Court, and in 2009 it was renamed the Free State High Court by the Renaming of High Courts Act. In 2013, in the restructuring brought about by the Superior Courts Act, it became the Free State Division of the High Court of
Free State Division
4662242
and are defined in the South African Constitution as "distinctive, interdependent and interrelated". Operating at both national and provincial levels ("spheres") are advisory bodies drawn from South Africa's traditional leaders. It is a stated intention in the Constitution that the country be run on a system of co-operative governance. The national government is composed of three inter-connected branches: All bodies of the South African government are subject to the rule of the Constitution, which is the Supreme law in South Africa. The bicameral Parliament of South Africa makes up the legislative branch of the national government. It consists of the
Government of South Africa
16568657
Abdication, rather than 11 December when the Abdication Act had come into force in the UK. It also declared that actions taken in the name of Edward VIII after the abdication but before the passage of the South African act were deemed to be valid. The act was repealed by the South African Constitution of 1961 when South Africa became a republic. His Majesty King Edward the Eighth's Abdication Act, 1937 His Majesty King Edward the Eighth's Abdication Act, 1937 (Act No. 2 of 1937) was an act of the Parliament of South Africa that ratified the abdication of King
His Majesty King Edward the Eighth's Abdication Act, 1937
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Government of National Unity (South Africa) Between 27 April 1994 and 3 February 1997 South Africa was governed under the terms of the interim Constitution of South Africa. Clause 88 of the interim Constitution required that any party holding twenty or more seats in the National Assembly could claim one or more cabinet portfolios and enter the government. This arrangement was known as the provision for a Government of National Unity (GNU). In the election of 27 April 1994 the African National Congress obtained the majority of seats in the National Assembly, and thus could form the government on its
Government of National Unity (South Africa)
4462858
I appeared in court was to hear whether or not I was going to be sentenced to death. Fortunately for myself and my colleagues we were not. Today I rise not as an accused, but on behalf of the people of South Africa, to inaugurate a court South Africa has never had, a court on which hinges the future of our democracy." Constitution Hill is the seat of the Constitutional Court of South Africa. The Constitution Hill precinct is located at 11 Kotze Street in Braamfontein, Johannesburg near the western end of the suburb of Hillbrow. The hill overlooks downtown
Constitutional Court of South Africa
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hear appeals in the Hlophe matter and that any SCA judgment is final. Constitutional Court of South Africa The Constitutional Court of South Africa is a supreme constitutional court established by the Constitution of South Africa. It was originally the final appellate court for constitutional matters. Since the enactment of the Superior Courts Act in 2013, the Constitutional Court has jurisdiction to hear any matter if it is in the interests of justice for it to do so. The court was first established by the Interim Constitution of 1993, and its first session began in February 1995. It has continued
Constitutional Court of South Africa
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in 1999. Even so, the Inkatha Freedom Party and the Azanian People's Organisation continued to hold seats in the government, as minority partners, until the elections of 2004. Cabinet Government of National Unity (South Africa) Between 27 April 1994 and 3 February 1997 South Africa was governed under the terms of the interim Constitution of South Africa. Clause 88 of the interim Constitution required that any party holding twenty or more seats in the National Assembly could claim one or more cabinet portfolios and enter the government. This arrangement was known as the provision for a Government of National Unity
Government of National Unity (South Africa)
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various statutes enacted by Parliament. In 2012, the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) filed a draft document calling for the removal of LGBT rights from the Constitution of South Africa. The group submitted a proposal to the Constitutional Review Committee of the National Assembly to amend section 9 of the Constitution; the Committee, at the time, was chaired by MP Sango Patekile Holomisa, who is also president of Contralesa. The parliamentary caucus of the ruling African National Congress rejected the proposal. The Constitution prohibits all unfair discrimination on the basis of sex, gender or sexual orientation, whether
LGBT rights in South Africa
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Tenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Tenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa altered the provisions relating to membership of the National Assembly and the provincial legislatures, to allow members of those bodies to cross the floor (move from one party to another) at certain times without losing their seats. It came into force on 20 March 2003, and was effectively repealed on 17 March 2009 by the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. The amendment renumbered the constitution's existing Schedule 6A (inserted by the Eighth Amendment and dealing with municipal floor-crossing) to Schedule 6B, and inserted a
Tenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa
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Thirteenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa The Thirteenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa (formally the Constitution Thirteenth Amendment Act of 2007) re-enacted provisions of the Twelfth Amendment which the Constitutional Court ruled had not been validly enacted. These provisions transferred the Matatiele Local Municipality from KwaZulu-Natal province to the Eastern Cape province. The Twelfth Amendment had redefined all provincial boundaries and consequently transferred many areas from one province to another. The community of Matatiele, who were strongly opposed to their inclusion in the Eastern Cape, challenged the validity of the amendment before the Constitutional Court. Some
Thirteenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa