ABSTRACT
The ANC circulated a preliminary text for a bill of rights in 1993 during the negotiations to transition from white minority to black majority rule. Like the text of the Freedom Charter in 1955, this draft was based on the input of thousands of ordinary South Africans. The final text was promulgated in 1996 as chapter 2 of the Constitutions – ‘This Bill of Rights is a cornerstone of democracy in South Africa. It enshrines the rights of all people in our country and affirms the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom’. The following are key sections of the bill of rights:
9. (1) Everyone is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and benet of the law…
(3) The state may not unfairly discriminate directly or indirectly against anyone on one or more grounds, including race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language and birth…
10. Everyone has inherent dignity and the right to have their dignity respected and protected.
