Malcolm Rivera
The South African Constitution has been ratified multiple times, with the most recent version coming into force on 30 October 1998. This version of the constitution allowed for municipalities to be established across provincial boundaries. The first South African Constitution was ratified in 1910, marking the disenfranchisement of black people. The 1961 Constitution made English and Afrikaans the official languages of South Africa.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year ratified | 1961 |
| Date ratified | 31 May |
| Previous constitution | South Africa Act, 1909 |
| Previous official languages | English and Dutch |
| Current official languages | English and Afrikaans |
| Amendment | Constitution Third Amendment Act, 1998 |
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What You'll Learn
- The South African Constitution was ratified in 1961
- The South African Constitution was amended in 1998
- The South African Constitution was ratified on the same day the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed
- The South African Constitution was ratified on the same day the Union of South Africa was formed
- The 1961 Constitution made English and Afrikaans the official languages
The South African Constitution was ratified in 1961
The 1961 Constitution replaced the Queen and the appointed Governor-General with a State President elected by Parliament. It also made English and Afrikaans the official languages of South Africa, with Afrikaans defined to include Dutch under the Official Languages of the Union Act in 1925.
The 1961 Constitution was a Westminster system very similar to that of the Union under the South Africa Act 1909. This act was passed by the British House of Commons and represented the exclusive interests of whites, despite petitions and protests from the African majority. The inauguration of the Union of South Africa on 31 May 1910 marked the disenfranchisement of black people.
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The South African Constitution was amended in 1998
The South African Constitution has a long history, with the first constitution being negotiated in 1908 and passed by the British House of Commons in 1910. This constitution, known as the South Africa Act, marked the disenfranchisement of black people and made English and Dutch the official languages of South Africa.
In 1961, a new constitution was introduced, which came into force on 31 May, a significant day in South African history. This constitution made English and Afrikaans the official languages and established a Westminster system of government, similar to that of the Union under the South Africa Act 1909.
The 1998 amendment to the South African Constitution was an important step in the country's history, allowing for greater flexibility in the establishment of municipalities and reflecting the changing needs of the nation.
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The South African Constitution was ratified on the same day the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed
The South African Constitution was ratified on 31 May 1961, the same day the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed in 1902. The Treaty of Vereeniging ended the Second Anglo-Boer War, which had begun in 1899. The 1961 Constitution replaced the Queen and the appointed Governor-General with a State President elected by Parliament. It also made English and Afrikaans the official languages of South Africa.
The South African Constitution of 1961 was introduced in January of that year. It came into force on 31 May, a significant day in South African history. Not only was it the day the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed, but it was also the day in 1910 when the Union of South Africa came into being. The 1961 Constitution established a Westminster system of government, similar to that of the Union under the South Africa Act 1909.
The South Africa Act, passed by the British House of Commons in 1908, represented the exclusive interests of whites and disenfranchised black people. This was followed by the inauguration of the Union of South Africa on 31 May 1910. Just under two years later, in January 1912, the African National Congress was formed.
The Constitution Third Amendment Act came into force on 30 October 1998, allowing for municipalities to be established across provincial boundaries by agreement between national and provincial governments.
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The South African Constitution was ratified on the same day the Union of South Africa was formed
The South African Constitution was ratified on 31 May 1961, the same day that the Union of South Africa was formed. The day was significant in South African history for several reasons. Firstly, it was the day in 1902 when the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed, ending the Second Anglo-Boer War. Secondly, it was the day in 1910 when the Union of South Africa came into being, marking the disenfranchisement of black people. The 1961 Constitution made English and Afrikaans the official languages of South Africa, replacing Dutch, which had been defined to include Afrikaans under the Official Languages of the Union Act in 1925. The structure of the government under the 1961 Constitution was a Westminster system similar to that of the Union under the South Africa Act 1909, except that the Queen and the appointed Governor-General were replaced by a State President elected by Parliament.
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The 1961 Constitution made English and Afrikaans the official languages
The South African Constitution was ratified on 31 May 1961. This was a significant day in South African history, marking the end of the Second Anglo-Boer War in 1902 and the formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910. The 1961 Constitution replaced the Queen and the appointed Governor-General with a State President elected by Parliament.
The 1961 Constitution also made English and Afrikaans the official languages of South Africa. This was a change from the South Africa Act, which had made English and Dutch the official languages, with Dutch defined to include Afrikaans under the Official Languages of the Union Act in 1925.
The choice of official languages was a highly political one. The 1961 Constitution was introduced at a time when the African National Congress was gaining momentum, having been formed in 1912. The ANC represented the interests of black South Africans, who had been disenfranchised by the inauguration of the Union of South Africa in 1910.
The imposition of Afrikaans as a medium of teaching in schools sparked the Soweto uprising in 1976. The uprising was led by pupils protesting against the use of Afrikaans in schools, reflecting the ongoing struggle for freedom and equality in South Africa.
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Frequently asked questions
The South African Constitution was ratified on 31 May 1961.
31 May was a significant day in South African history, being both the day in 1902 on which the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed, ending the Second Anglo-Boer War, and the day in 1910 on which the Union of South Africa came into being.
The structure of the government of the Republic under the 1961 Constitution was a Westminster system very similar to that of the Union under the South Africa Act 1909, except that the Queen and the appointed Governor-General were replaced by a State President elected by Parliament.
Yes, the Constitution Third Amendment Act came into force on 30 October 1998. This allowed for municipalities to be established across provincial boundaries by the agreement of the national and the relevant provincial governments.
