THEME COMMITTEE 5

Theme Committee 5 dealt with the judiciary and legal systems, and dealt with the following issues with regard to Constitutional Principles VII and XIII:

  • The structure of the court system
  • The relationship between the different levels of courts
  • The composition and appointment of judicial officers
  • Access to courts, including lay participation
  • Traditional courts and customary law
  • Legal education and profession
  • Transitional arrangements
  • Correctional services
  • International law and interpretation
  • Attorney-generals

Theme Committee 5 in numbers:

Theme Committee 5 held 31 meetings between 19 September 1994 and 14 August 1995 and processed 477 submissions, most of which were received from organised civil society. In all, 14 public hearings were held with a wide variety of role-players between 1 February and 26 July 1995.

Chairpersons: William Andrew Hofmeyr (ANC); Danie Schutte (NP); J Van Der Merwe (IFP).

Members: Bruwer A (alt); David Dalling; Johannes De Lange; Rosier De Ville; Ahmed Gora Ebrahim; Gregory Fredericks; Stanley Fisher; Ela Gandhi; Douglas Gibson; Rudolph Groenewald; Stefanus Grove; Devikarani Jana; Ziba Jiyane (alt); Essop Essak Jassat; Mahlomola Khasu; Anthony James Leon (alt); Jacob Le Roux (alt); Gwendoline Lindiwe Mahlangu; Petrus Arnoldus Matthee; Vincent Joseph Gaobakwe Mathews; Mdutyana SNN; Mgidi JS; Simangaliso Mkhatshwa; Samuel Moeti; Machubeleng Mogale (alt); Mohammed Moosa; Mabendle Lawrence Mushwana (alt); Madala Mzizi; Arulsivanathan Naidoo (alt); Andries Carl Nel; Bulelani Ngcuka; Lindiwe Ngwane; Tembile Ntsizi (alt); Dullah Omar (alt); Rashid Saloojee; Lalitha Singh (alt); Narend Singh (alt); Buyelwa Patience Sonjica; Fritz Van Heerden.

Technical Committee: Paul Benjamin; Judge PJJ Olivier; L Gcabashe; Adv Jeremy Gauntlett.

Staff: Noel Taft, Managing Secretary; Eunice Van Eck, Minute Secretary; Beverline Thomas, Administrative Secretary.

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