Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development  in South Africa (SA) Andries Nel says many people point to the disjuncture between the promise of the country’s constitution and the lived reality of millions of South Africans.

He believes the fault doesn’t lie with the constitution. Nel was speaking during a panel discussion in Pretoria on Friday evening, marking 30 years of SA’s Constitution.

“The constitution is more than a legal framework, it is the foundation of our democracy rooted in human dignity, equality and freedom. Many people point to the disjuncture between the promise of the constitution and the lived reality of millions of South Africans. The fault though doesn’t lie with the constitution, the constitution is our compact as a nation it spells out the vision of who we want to be. When we don’t achieve that vision, the fault doesn’t lie with the vision, the fault lies with us and our inability to achieve that vision.”

Thirty years ago, on May 8 1996, the constitutional assembly formally adopted the constitution and came into operation on February 4, 1997.

Nel also added that he was honoured to form part of writing the document.

“The sovereignty of our country is under serious threat from some very, very powerful nations around the world. Certain leaders of certain countries who stand for everything that our constitution doesn’t stand for. They are dismissing our constitution and its values; they’re dismissing the institutions of our democracy such as our courts that calls upon us as South Africans to unite as a nation around our constitution. As a nation 30 years in democracy in many ways, we are drifting apart, and all along through our struggles we said the strategic objective of our struggle, is a united, non-racial, democratic and prosperous SA nation. “

–SABC–