Chapter One of the Constitution of South Africa

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Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996: Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of the Constitution of South Africa, titled Founding Provisions and containing six sections, enshrines in the constitution key national principles, defines the country's flag and national anthem, and specifies the official languages and principles of government language policy.

Defines South Africa as "one, sovereign, democratic state" and lists the country's founding values as:

• Human dignity, the achievement of equality and the advancement of human rights and freedoms.
• Non-racialism and non-sexism.
• Supremacy of the constitution and the rule of law.
• Universal adult suffrage, a national common voters roll, regular elections and a multi-party system of democratic government, to ensure accountability, responsiveness and openness.

This section is more deeply

Declares that there is a common South African citizenship, and that all citizens have equal rights and responsibilities. This is a response to the apartheid-era policies under which the government revoked the South African citizenship of many black people, making them instead citizens of the nominally-independent bantustans.

Allows the President to specify the national anthem by proclamation.

Defines the national flag by reference to Schedule 1, which contains a detailed geometrical description.

Lists the

• National anthem of South Africa
• Flag of South Africa

• Text of Chapter 1 at the South African Government website