Former South African President P W De Klerk’s Manifesto for the New South Africa

We, as South Africans from all walks of life, associating ourselves with the goodwill and the shared desire for justice, peace and freedom among the majority of our fellow South Africans, declare:-

That a just and fair New South Africa, free from apartheid, requires a strong South African nation,

That there exists, therefore, an urgent need for the leaders of all our people and communities to come together to shape a mutually acceptable new constitution for our country,

That such a constitution should be based on the rule of law and lay the foundation for a nation dedicated to justice, democracy and freedom for all, through the pursuit of participation, peace, progress, and prosperity.

That Christian values and universally accepted civilised norms and standards should be maintained in South Africa together with recognition and protection of freedom of faith and worship,

That all the people of our country should take part in this endeavour,

That we, to this end, subscribe to the following:

PARTICIPATION: A FREE AND DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL SYSTEM

We commit ourselves to the creation of a free and democratic political system in South Africa, in which:

All people shall be free in this, their country of birth;

All the people of our land shall participate fully at all levels of government on the basis of universal adult franchise;

The government of the country shall at all times be based upon the consent of the governed;

All people shall be equal before the law, and shall enjoy equal rights regardless of race, colour, sex or creed;

The rights of all individuals and minorities defined on a non-racial basis shall be adequately protected in the constitution and in a constitutionally guaranteed and justiciable Bill of Rights;

Freedom of expression, within the generally recognised bounds of responsibility, shall be the right of all people;

Freedom of movement and of association shall be guaranteed to all.

PROGRESS: AN EQUITABLE SOCIAL SYSTEM

We commit ourselves to the creation of an equitable social system in South Africa in which:

The human dignity of each individual, being a unique creature of God, shall be respected at all times;

Freedom of religion and of worship shall be guaranteed for all;

All discrimination between groups of people or between individuals shall be eliminated and discriminatory legislation shall be repealed;

The goal of just and equitable educational systems, accessible to all, shall be striven for unswervingly;

Access for all to affordable shelter shall be a high priority.

PROSPERITY: A FREE AND EQUITABLE ECONOMIC SYSTEM

We commit ourselves to the creation of a free and equitable economic system in South Africa in which:

All people shall be free to sell their labour and market their products;

The ownership of property shall be open to all;

Economic growth with the emphasis on the creation of employment shall be vigorously promoted;

The resources of the state shall be fairly used for the common good, with special regard to the socio-economic backlogs existing in our country;

The State and all the members of our society shall accept our responsibility as custodians of our environment and resources.

PEACE: FREEDOM AND SECURITY FOR ALL

We commit ourselves to the maintenance of South Africa as a sovereign independent state, secure against foreign interference, in which:

The protection of, and respect for life, liberty and property shall be a first principle;

The peaceful settlement of political and other disputes between groups and individuals shall form the foundation of a democratic society;

Violence and intimidation shall not be tolerated as tools to attain political ends;

The State shall be charged with the duty to ensure the maintenance of stability in a peaceful and orderly society;

The application of the powers of State shall be limited to the minimum necessary for the maintenance of a peaceful and orderly society, and shall be governed by the law.

We, who associate ourselves with this Manifesto, recognize that we are still divided by many differences concerning the manner in which these ideals may best be realised, but

We also recognize that we are united in our love for our country and all its people, and therefore

We declare that we are determined to apply all our talents and our labours to overcome these differences and to find a peaceful way to build a great South African nation and a better future for the generations to come.