South Africa’s Constitutional Milestone: 30 Years of Democracy

Thirty years ago, South Africa adopted its Constitution, a historic milestone that entrenched democracy, equality and human rights, including landmark rulings on the abolition of the death penalty.

As the country prepares to commemorate three decades of constitutional democracy, government says the anniversary will serve not only as a celebration, but also as an opportunity for reflection.

Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi said a year-long programme will be rolled out to mark the milestone, culminating in national commemorations that will bring together a broad range of stakeholders.

The programme will also focus on public education, particularly among young people, to deepen understanding of the Constitution, its guarantees and the responsibilities it places on citizens.

“We believe this milestone is worth celebrating. Our democracy and our country are founded on this Constitution. It guarantees many of the rights and freedoms we enjoy today, and it shapes the way we live as a society,” Kubayi said.

She added that government will use the anniversary to take stock of how the Constitution has shaped the country over the past three decades, assess areas of weakness and identify improvements going forward.

Stepping up the fight against organised crime

Responding to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), Kubayi also welcomed government’s renewed focus on combating organised crime and dismantling criminal syndicates.  

Thursday night’s address took place in the year South Africa marks 30 years since the adoption of its Constitution in 1996.

In his address, the President described organised crime as the most immediate threat to South Africa’s democracy, social stability and economic development.

He announced that the primary focus this year will be on intensifying the fight against criminal networks through the use of technology, improved intelligence coordination and integrated law enforcement operations.

Government plans to consolidate intelligence at national level, identify priority syndicates and deploy specialised, multidisciplinary teams to dismantle organised criminal networks.

Kubayi said law enforcement agencies, including the police, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), will work in close coordination to ensure that arrests lead to successful prosecutions.

“The department believes in prosecution-led investigations to ensure that cases are properly prepared and successfully concluded,” she said.

A key component of the strategy will be strengthening asset forfeiture measures to deprive criminals of the proceeds of crime.

“These criminals steal from the State and utilise the money they had gotten wrongly to come and fight the State. We are saying, let us freeze and forfeit their assets so that they do not have the means to fight the justice system,” Kubayi said.

She noted that the courts must be adequately capacitated to handle the anticipated increase in complex cases. The department has already appointed more than 200 magistrates across the country to strengthen judicial capacity and will continue engagements with the judiciary to address shortages, including the backlog in the appointment of judges. – SAnews.gov.za