• by IPS Correspondents (johannesburg)
• Wednesday, December 21, 1994
• Inter Press Service

JOHANNESBURG, Dic 21 (IPS) - SOUTH AFRICA'S RULING AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS (ANC) WANTS A NEW CONSTITUTION THAT WILL CATER FOR DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY RULE BUT WITHOUT ENFORCED POWER SHARING.

"WHAT SOUTH AFRICA NEEDS IS A NEW CONSTITUTION, AND NOT A REWRITE OF THE 1994-1999 INTERIM CONSTITUTION," THE ANC 'S CONSTITUTIONAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDED IN A REPORT ADOPTED BY THE PARTY'S 49TH NATIONAL CONGRESS, WHICH HAS BEEN GOING ON IN BLOEMFONTEIN SINCE DEC. 17.

THE INTERIM CONSTITUTION, WHICH WAS AGREED UPON AT MULTIPARTY NEGOTIATIONS HELD LAST YEAR, REQUIRES A CONSTITUTIONAL ASSEMBLY TO PRODUCE A NEW CONSTITUTION WITHIN TWO YEARS.

THE ASSEMBLY INCLUDES REPRESENTATIVES OF ALL PARTIES IN PARLIAMENT. THE ANC HAS 63 PERCENT OF ITS SEATS, THREE PERCENT SHORT OF THE TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY NEEDED FOR THE ASSEMBLY TO APPROVE ANY CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES.

BRIEFING JOURNALISTS IN BLOEMFONTEIN, ABOUT 450 KM SOUTH OF HERE, ON THE MEANING OF THE RECOMMENDATION, JUSTICE MINISTER DULLAH OMAR SAID THE CONSTITUTIONAL COMMISSION HAD ASKED ITSELF WHETHER THE INTERIM CONSTITUTION SHOULD BE AMENDED OR COMPLETELY REWRITTEN.

THE COMMISSION DECIDED THAT AMENDMENT WOULD RESULT IN A CONSTITUTION WHICH WOULD HAMPER THE GOVERNMENT'S ABILITY TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS OF THE BLACK MAJORITY AND UNDO THE LEGACY OF APARTHEID, HE SAID.

THE FORMER LAW PROFESSOR NOTED THAT THE INTERIM CONSTITUTION WAS A "COMPROMISE AND A PRODUCT OF NEGOTIATIONS, ADDING THAT THE NEW CONSTITUTION WOULD HAVE TO MAKE PROVISIONS FOR THE PARTY THAT WINS ELECTIONS TO FORM A NEW GOVERNMENT ON ITS OWN.

"WE RECOGNISE THAT THE INTERIM CONSTITUTION IS A COMPROMISE AND A PRODUCT OF NEGOTIATIONS. WE RECOGNISE ALSO THAT IT WAS A BIG STEP FORWARD FOR SOUTH AFRICA, AND THAT IT IS MAKING A CONTRIBUTION TO RECONCILIATION," OMAR EXPLAINED.

WHATEVER CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES THE ANC PLANS, SAID THE VETERAN ANC MEMBER, "WE WILL HAVE TO WORK WITHIN THE PROVISIONS OF THE (INTERIM) CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES.

"WE HAVE RECOMMENDED THAT AN ANC COMMISSION TO SIT IN MARCH NEXT YEAR DISCUSS THE CONTENT OF THE NEW CONSTITUTION SO THAT IT MAKES PROVISION FOR ORDINARY, DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY. IF THERE ARE ANY COALITIONS, THEY WILL HAVE TO BE ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS," OMAR ADDED.

© Inter Press Service (2014) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service

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