7 MONTHS AWAY Despite political and technical objections to the Working Draft, the CA approved it in November 1995. On 22 November, over 5 million copies of the Working Draft in all 11 official languages were printed and distributed throughout the whole country. 2.8 million were inserted into newspapers from November 1995 through to January …
8 MONTHS AWAY Finally, in October 1995 the first milestone was reached. The CA was presented with a completed Refined Working Draft of the Constitution. After a year of meeting to discuss submissions and public opinion, there was something real on the table on which to negotiate. The CA Chairperson declared: For the first time …
9 MONTHS AWAY The drafters pressed on with their task. They were assisted by the technical refinement team headed by Canadian lawyer Phil Knight – the only non-South African to take part in the negotiations – and a team of South African lawyers. His role was precisely to be an outside eye in terms of …
10 Months Away While marches and protests took place outside, the Theme Committees continued to thrash out several contentious issues behind closed doors. As time went on, it became apparent that the parties were quite far apart on many matters. The upbeat spirit and co-operative alliances that had characterised the first year of the Constitutional …
13 MONTHS AWAY Many people and organisations were making their voices heard on the streets of South Africa at this time, marching to Parliament to present their petitions to the Constitutional Assembly. The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) and the Christian Voice organised a protest march in a campaign to give the Constitution an overtly …
15 MONTHS AWAY Ramaphosa and others insisted that the IFP walkout would not delay the process. The IFP lost a golden, historic opportunity to drive home their demands to the ANC and only history will judge them. CYRIL RAMAPHOSA reflecting on the end of the process The IFP’s departure altered the balance of power in …
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”.
President Nelson Mandela announces his cabinet. It includes members of the African National Congress, National Party and Inkatha Freedom Party.
