Preamble to the Constitution of South Africa

The meaning of the Preamble to the South African Constitution

The Preamble to the South African Constitution is a pact made in the name of the people of South Africa.

The Preamble is the important introduction of our Constitution which captures the commitment of our nation to a set of principles and values.

The Preamble is a pact made in the name of the people of South Africa. It sets out the vision of the nation we, the people of South Africa desire to build. It is our blueprint for change.

It both reflects on the injustices of the past and sets the norms and values for the future. It identifies human dignity, equality and freedom as founding democratic values of South African society.

Ideally, every South African should have a copy of the Preamble in their homes and workplaces.

Click here to discover the Preamble line-by-line and learn the full story behind how it was written.