Page:Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1993 from Government Gazette.djvu/91

180   No. 15466

(3) If the Independent Electoral Commission declares as contemplated in subsection (1)(b)—

a new election shall be held for the National Assembly and the provincial legislatures, or a relevant provincial legislature, as the case may be, in accordance with this Constitution and the Electoral Act, 1993, as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than within 10 weeks after the date of the election in question: Provided that a new election for the National Assembly and the provincial legislatures shall be held simultaneously; and the constitutional arrangements under the Republic of South Africa Constitution Act, 1983 (Act No. 110 of 1983), the Transitional Executive Council Act, 1993, the Independent Electoral Commission Act, 1993, the Electoral Act, 1993, the Independent Media Commission Act, 1993, and the Independent Broadcasting Authority Act, 1993, shall apply, until the election referred to in paragraph (a) has been held.

(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, the Independent Electoral Commission shall continue to exist for the purposes set out in this section and the Commission shall exercise its function contemplated in section 18 of the Independent Electoral Commission Act, 1993, with reference to an election referred to in this section: Provided that section 232  (5)(b) shall apply mutatis mutandis in respect of the replacement of members of the Commission.

Short title and commencement

251. (1) This Act shall be called the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1993, and shall, subject to subsection (2), come into operation on 27 April 1994.

(2) The State President may, in consultation with the Transitional Executive Council, by proclamation in the Gazette provide that a provision of this Constitution specified in the proclamation shall come into operation on a date prior to the date referred to in subsection (1).

(3) Different dates may be fixed in terms of subsection (2) in respect of different provisions of this Constitution.

(4) A reference in a provision of this Constitution to the commencement of this Constitution shall, unless the context otherwise indicates, be construed as a reference to the commencement of such provision.



This Constitution provides a historic bridge between the past of a deeply divided society characterised by strife, conflict, untold suffering and injustice, and a future founded on the recognition of human rights, democracy and peaceful co-existence and development opportunities for all South Africans, irrespective of colour, race, class, belief or sex.

The pursuit of national unity, the well-being of all South African citizens and peace require reconciliation between the people of South Africa and the reconstruction of society.

The adoption of this Constitution lays the secure foundation for the people of South Africa to transcend the divisions and strife of the past, which generated gross violations of human rights, the transgression of humanitarian principles in violent conflicts and a legacy of hatred, fear, guilt and revenge.

These can now be addressed on the basis that there is a need for understanding but not for vengeance, a need for reparation but not for retaliation, a need for ubuntu but not for victimisation.

In order to advance such reconciliation and reconstruction, amnesty shall be granted in respect of acts, omissions and offences associated with political objectives and committed in the course of the conflicts of the past. To this end, Parliament under this Constitution shall adopt a law determining a firm cut-off date, which shall be a date after 8 October 1990 and before 6 December 1993, and 