Volume: Volume 2(2) - 1998

Article type: Editorial

In this edition of Law, Democracy and Development the focus falls on two broad themes - the realisation of socio-economic rights and the public funding of political parties during the upcoming election in May 1999. The inclusion of socio-economic rights in the South African Constitution of 1996 set a new benchmark internationally for the formulation and enforcement of these rights.

In their introduction to socio-economic rights Christof Heyns and Danie Brand outline the initial debate over their inclusion and their eventual formulation in the 1996 Constitution. They distinguish between the norm-setting and norm-enforcement provisions relating to socio-economic rights. They point out that although a number of constitutions recognise socio-economic rights as human rights, the South Africa Constitution may be unique in that it provides for their judicial enforcement and a domestic reporting procedure.

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