Jonah Patel
The South African Constitution was signed into law on 21 March 1996, marking a major turning point in the country's history. The bill of rights became the first major section in the new constitution, following the preamble. The constitution was signed by President Mandela on 10 December 1996, and officially published in the Government Gazette on 18 December. It was brought into operation on 4 February 1997, by a presidential proclamation. There have been eighteen amendments since 1996.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date signed into law | 21 March 1996 |
| Date signed by President Mandela | 10 December 1996 |
| Date officially published in the Government Gazette | 18 December 1996 |
| Date brought into operation | 4 February 1997 |
| Date financial provisions came into force | 1 January 1998 |
| Number of amendments since 1996 | 18 |
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What You'll Learn
- The South African Constitution was signed into law on 21 March 1996
- The bill of rights became the first major section of the new constitution
- The constitution was signed by President Mandela on 10 December 1996
- The constitution was brought into operation on 4 February 1997
- There have been eighteen amendments since 1996
The South African Constitution was signed into law on 21 March 1996
The Constitution First Amendment Act (formerly the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Amendment Act, 1997) was signed by the President on 28 August. There have been eighteen amendments since 1996. The amended text was returned to the Constitutional Court to be certified, which the court duly did in its Second Certification judgment, delivered on 4 December. The Constitution was signed by President Mandela on 10 December and officially published in the Government Gazette on 18 December. It did not come into force immediately; it was brought into operation on 4 February 1997, except for some financial provisions which were delayed until 1 January 1998.
The Republic of South Africa Constitution Bill was introduced in January 1961. It came into force 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.
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The bill of rights became the first major section of the new constitution
The new South African constitution was signed into law on 21 March 1996, marking a major turning point in the country's history. The bill of rights became the first major section of the new constitution, following the preamble and founding provisions. Many consider this bill to offer the most extensive human rights in the world. Certain rights are considered so important that they are 'non-derogable', meaning that they cannot ever be reduced. These include 'equality', 'dignity', and 'life', encompassing the right to life, the right to be free from torture, and the right to be free from slavery.
The constitution was signed by President Mandela on 10 December and officially published in the Government Gazette on 18 December. It did not come into force immediately; it was brought into operation on 4 February 1997, by a presidential proclamation, except for some financial provisions which were delayed until 1 January 1998. The constitution consists of a preamble, fourteen chapters containing 244 sections, and eight schedules. There have been eighteen amendments since 1996.
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The constitution was signed by President Mandela on 10 December 1996
The new South African constitution was signed into law on 21 March 1996. This was a major turning point in the country's history, as it ushered in a new era of democracy. The bill of rights became the first major section in the new constitution, following the preamble and founding provisions.
Since 1996, there have been eighteen amendments to the constitution. The Constitution First Amendment Act was signed by the President on 28 August 1997.
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The constitution was brought into operation on 4 February 1997
The South African Constitution was signed into law on 21 March 1996, marking a significant turning point in the country's history. The bill of rights became the first major section in the new constitution, followed by the preamble and founding provisions. The constitution was brought into operation on 4 February 1997, by a presidential proclamation, except for some financial provisions, which were delayed until 1 January 1998.
The South African Constitution consists of a preamble, fourteen chapters containing 244 sections, and eight schedules. It is considered to offer some of the most extensive human rights in the world, with certain rights deemed so important that they are "non-derogable", meaning they cannot ever be reduced. These include "equality", "dignity", and "life", encompassing the right to life, freedom from torture, and freedom from slavery.
Since its implementation, the South African Constitution has undergone several amendments to ensure its relevance and effectiveness. As of 2025, there have been eighteen amendments made to the constitution, with the first amendment act signed by the President on 28 August 1997.
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There have been eighteen amendments since 1996
The new South African constitution was signed into law on 21 March 1996, a major turning point in the country's history. The bill of rights became the first major section in the new constitution, following the preamble (and founding provisions). Many consider this bill to offer the most extensive human rights in the world.
Since 1996, there have been eighteen amendments to the constitution. The Constitution First Amendment Act (formerly the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Amendment Act, 1997) was signed by the President on 28 August 1997 but had effect retroactively to 4 February 1997 when the constitution came into force. The Constitution Eighteenth Amendment Bill was drafted in 2019.
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996 established the National Security Council. The Constitution Seventeenth Amendment Act came into force on 23 August 2013. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa: Rules: First sitting of the National Assembly, National Council of Provinces and provincial legislatures was published in 2014. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa: Transfer of administration of and powers and functions entrusted by legislation to Minister of Communications and Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services was published in 2014.
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa: Transfer of administration, powers and functions entrusted by legislation to certain Cabinet Members into section 97 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa was published in 2019.
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Frequently asked questions
The new constitution was signed into law on 21 March 1996.
President Mandela.
4 February 1997.
