Constitution 'not written in stone'

2012-03-29 08:27

Johannesburg - South Africans should never fear changes and amendments to the Constitution, Minister in the Presidency Trevor Manuel said on Wednesday.

"Cyril Ramaphosa made a very important point the other day. He said the Constitution did not come down from Table Mountain on stone tablets, it was written by men and women, and we are some of them," he said.

"We have changed and amended the Constitution 17 times already, and we will continue to amend it because it is a living document - never fear that."

Manuel was speaking at a Centre for Small Business Development meeting in Soweto campus of the University of Johannesburg.

On Monday, the Democratic Alliance Youth staged a sit-in at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg, and unveiled a poster of the Constitution being burnt.

DA Youth leader Makashule Gana said the sit-in and poster highlighted current threats posed to the Constitution.

"This poster makes two points. The first is that there is a clear and pressing threat posed to numerous elements of the Constitution and the second is that, in the DA's future, the Constitution will reign supreme as the ultimate law. There will be no person or body above that law."

Gana said threats to the Constitution were "starkly illustrated" by a recent ANC policy document.

"This document, which proposes a number of constitutional amendments, represents the largest assault on the Constitution witnessed in our country to date," Gana claimed.

- SAPA