Quote of the week
Universal adult suffrage on a common voters roll is one of the foundational values of our entire constitutional order. The achievement of the franchise has historically been important both for the acquisition of the rights of full and effective citizenship by all South Africans regardless of race, and for the accomplishment of an all-embracing nationhood. The universality of the franchise is important not only for nationhood and democracy. The vote of each and every citizen is a badge of dignity and of personhood. Quite literally, it says that everybody counts. In a country of great disparities of wealth and power it declares that whoever we are, whether rich or poor, exalted or disgraced, we all belong to the same democratic South African nation; that our destinies are intertwined in a single interactive polity.
August and Another v Electoral Commission and Others (CCT8/99) [1999] ZACC 3
Textbook: South African Constitutional Law in Context
P. de Vos, W. Freedman (editors)
D. Brand, C. Gevers, K. Govender, P. Lenaghan, D. Mailula, N. Ntlama, S. Sibanda, L. Stone (contributors)
February 2014 (Oxford University Press
South African Constitutional Law in Context offers a comprehensive, clear, and concise introduction to the study of South African constitutional law. Situated within a framework of historical, political, social and economic context, the text invites readers to discover the meaning, operation and effects of the South African Constitution, and to understand its critical importance and potential. The text balances an accurate description of the most authoritative interpretation of the constitutional text with a critical and enquiring approach, providing depth and diversity of perspective, and engaging readers in an interactive, topical and stimulating manner.
To order go to: http://www.oxford.co.za/catalogue/book/9780195991376-south-african-constitutional-law-in-context#.VlPdyYSMihQ
