SOUTH AFRICA'S HIGH COURT REJECTS NEW CONSTITUTION, RAISES OBJECTIONS.Byline: Suzanne Daley Suzanne M. Daley is an American journalist who has been the national editor for The New York Times since 2005. Daley joined the Times in 1978[1] after graduating from Hampshire College[2]. The New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Times South Africa's highest court rejected the country's new constitution on Friday, saying that it failed in several sections to meet the criteria agreed to in talks for a peaceful transition from an apartheid government to a nonracial democracy. The 11-member Constitutional Court praised much of the 140-page document, adopted by Parliament in May after nearly two years of hard-fought negotiations among the country's black, white and mixed-race leaders. But the court raised a number of objections. Most significantly it rejected the constitution's proposals for a restructured senate, which had been championed by President Nelson Mandela's African National Congress African National Congress (ANC), the oldest black (now multiracial) political organization in South Africa; founded in 1912. Prominent in its opposition to apartheid, the organization began as a nonviolent civil-rights group. . The court said the proposals gave the senate substantially less power than was outlined in the 34 principles agreed to before the first free elections were held in 1994. An interim constitution remains in effect, and a constitutional assembly of the 490 members of Parliament has three months to revise the proposals. A failure to do so would bring into play deadlock-breaking procedures that could involve a national referendum and even the dissolution of the government. But the country's two most powerful political parties, the African National Congress and the National Party led by former President F.W. de Klerk de Klerk , F(rederik) W(illem) Born 1936. South African president (1989-1994) who shared the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts toward ending apartheid in South Africa. , were quick to say the court's objections could be dealt with. Cyril Ramaphosa Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa (born 17 November 1952) is a South African lawyer, trade union leader, activist, politician and businessman. He was born in Soweto, near Johannesburg, in what is now Gauteng province. , the ANC ANC abbr. African National Congress ANC African National Congress: South African political movement instrumental in bringing an end to apartheid ANC n abbr (= official who led the talks on the constitution, said the ruling would ``produce an even better product.'' He added: ``I am confident that we will be able to effect the necessary changes to the constitution speedily.'' Rolph Meyer, who led negotiations for the National Party, also said revisions could be made quickly. The court's ruling opens the way for South Africa's third most powerful party, the Zulu-based Inkatha Freedom Party Inkatha Freedom Party Political party in South Africa consisting largely of the Zulu. It originated in 1924 as a cultural movement under King Dinizulu. His grandson, Mangosuthu G. , to rejoin the talks. Inkatha's secretary general, Ziba Juyane, indicated Friday that the party would either join the general talks or hold talks with the ANC. Inkatha, which has been engaged in a violent struggle with the ANC over control of the province of KwaZulu/Natal, stormed out of the negotiations last year and members refused to appear in Parliament on the day the constitution was adopted. Inkatha has called for virtual independence for the 11 provinces. Even if Inkatha rejoins the talks, several experts said, a reworked draft could be ready within the allotted al·lot tr.v. al·lot·ted, al·lot·ting, al·lots 1. To parcel out; distribute or apportion: allotting land to homesteaders; allot blame. 2. three months. ``Spoilers could use the opportunity to reopen a whole host of issues,'' said Tom Lodge, a professor of political studies at Witwatersrand University. ``But that seems unlikely. It's not in the interest of the major parties, and they should have the pull to keep things on track.'' The adoption of the new constitution in May was widely celebrated as the country's final step in the transition from decades of racist government. The new constitution establishes a federal system with a strong presidency and a two-chamber legislature. It includes a bill of rights that is one of the broadest in the world. Besides barring discrimination on the basis of race, gender, age, sexual orientation sexual orientation n. The direction of one's sexual interest toward members of the same, opposite, or both sexes, especially a direction seen to be dictated by physiologic rather than sociologic forces. , pregnancy and marital status marital status, n the legal standing of a person in regard to his or her marriage state. , it includes an inscription of often unmet hopes: the right to housing, health care, water, food and education. The new legislature was given exclusive powers over certain local issues, but its powers to approve national legislation were curtailed. |
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