Constitution brought "profound transformation" to South Africa The Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Andries Nel, has described the Constitution as a path altering legal document that has “profoundly transformed” South Africa. The Deputy Minister addressed the National Council of Province’s debate on Human Rights Day on Wednesday afternoon. This year, South Africa commemorates the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution as the country’s superior legal authority. “The Constitution is the supreme law of the land, the basis for the transformation of our society into a united, non-racial, non-sexist democratic state founded on the values of human dignity, the achievement of equality and the advancements of human rights and freedoms. “The Constitution has, over the past three decades, profoundly transformed South Africa’s political and legal landscape into a constitutional democracy. [It’s] progressive because it not only recognises the injustices and the inequalities of the past, but it places an obligation on government and citizens, women and men, young and old to work to heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights,” he said. The Deputy Minister described the Constitution as “both revolutionary and transformative". “It advances the objective of building a South African nation united in its diversity, of building a democratic and developmental state which meets the needs of the people, of building a transformed, inclusive and thriving economy that works for all South Africans and of building a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous society based on the best of human values,” Nel said. Furthermore, he called on members of the House to consider reciting the Preamble of the Constitution every time they gather. “We appeal to you, the Chairperson and the members here present, to consider making the reciting to the Preamble of the Constitution a standard practice when we meet as the freely elected representatives of the people of South Africa to discharge our duties and responsibilities in terms of the Constitution which we have all sworn an oath to uphold. “It is a powerful reminder of where we come from, who we are and the values that inform what we seek to become as a nation,” the Deputy Minister explained. This year also ushers in the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the 1976 student uprisings and the 70th anniversary of the 1956 women’s march where more than 20 000 women marched against the apartheid state’s laws. “As we celebrate the rights that have been enshrined in our Constitution, we also recall the events at Sharpeville on that day in 1960 when the apartheid police opened fire on unarmed protestors, killing 69 people and injuring many more. “Human Rights Day reminds us of the sacrifices of our past, the struggles of our present and the hopes of our future,” Nel said. – SAnews.gov.za NeoB Wed, 03/18/2026 - 15:41 3 views