3 MONTHS AWAY

By the beginning of February, as work resumed, the full magnitude of the task that lay ahead became all too clear. A mild panic began to set in. There were just three months to go and many outstanding issues still had to be resolved. On 15 February 1996, the Management Committee formally recognised 68 issues. Arguments were becoming increasingly heated. The politicians were still confident that they would make the deadline. Roelf Meyer described the climate as ‘conducive to compromise and negotiating’ but hinted that there might be some pressure on the process as the politicians ‘needed to negotiate behind closed doors so we can allow them to change their minds and positions gracefully’.

When you retreat into the bilateral, that’s where you really begin to remove the frills, remove the playing to the gallery and actually begin to look each other in the eye … You are trying to understand the fears from the other side, and you are also hoping for a situation whereby they would listen to you.

Baleka Mabete-Kgositsile

Then ANC MP

The administrative staff was feeling more anxious. They had to process the public submissions and also allow time for the technical drafting of the clauses and for producing  the document in plain language. They facilitated many bilateral and multilateral meetings  between the parties. Hassen Ebrahim concurred with Roelf Meyer’s view:

Although meetings behind closed doors did not augur well with members of the civil society or the media, they allowed for very frank discussions.

HASSEN EBRAHIM

then Executive Director of the Constitutional Assembly

Negotiators held on to their optimism. As Willie Hofmeyr said:

It was really a trying time, but I’m glad I could be part of it because it was exciting. It’s a privilege to be here and it’s a privilege to be able to take part in making history.

Willie Hofmeyr 

then ANC MP

Poster from the Constitutional Assembly media campaign. Constitutional Assembly

EXPLORE THE ARCHIVE

Audio Visual

President Mandela gives his State of the Nation address in Parliament. Mandela ends his address with the words, “Let us all get down to work”.

“We must construct that people-centred society of freedom in such a manner that it guarantees the political and the human rights of all our citizens.”– President Mandela, extract from State of the Nation Address, 24 May 1994

President Nelson Mandela announces his cabinet. It includes members of the African National Congress, National Party and Inkatha Freedom Party.

“There was pride in serving in the first democratic government in South Africa, and then the additional pride of serving under the iconic leadership of Nelson Mandela … [He] represented the hopes of not just our country, but of oppressed, marginalised and the poor in the world.”– Jay Naidoo, then Minister of RDP housing
“We place our vision of a new constitutional order for South Africa on the table not as conquerors, prescribing to the conquered. We speak as fellow citizens to heal the wounds of the past with the intent of constructing a new order based on justice for all.”– President Nelson Mandela, 10 May 1994