VIEWS EXPRESSED BY PAST WILLIE VILJOEN OF THE AGS

Issued by: Constitutional Assembly

Contact: Katharine Mc Kenzie Constitutional Assembly Tel : 021 245 031

Cape Town - The Constitutional Assembly notes with regret the views expressed by Past. Willie Viljoen of the AGS, as reported in Die Burger of Thursday 25 April, about statistics supplied by the Constitutional Assembly on public submissions.

The figures referred to by Past. Viljoen are statistics of petitions received in the second phase of public submissions to the Constitutional Assembly and are correct. The memorandum signed by 20 000 people, are reflected in statistics provided last year for the first phase of submissions.

In order to prevent further confusion, the CA provides below statistics for both phases.

The public were invited to make submissions to the CA in two phases:

• During the first phase from December 1994 the public were invited to send in initial ideas to Theme Committees of the CA whilst these committees were preparing reports to the Constitutional Committee.
• In the second phase, after the publication of the Working Draft of the new Constitution in November 1995, the public were once again invited to comment on the provisions of the Working Draft. The deadline for submissions in the second phase was 20 February 1996.

The statistics for petitions received in both phases are set out below. These figures are for petitions only, and do not reflect the total number of submissions received.

Petitions Phase 1

Afrikaans as official language 1,001,246 Animal rights 178 Anti-secular state/secular humanism 38,994 Anti-sexual orientation clause 16,363 Anti-gambling 501 Environment 220 Family life (including children's rights) 320 Gun ownership rights 65 Health (right to health choice) 724 Anti - Pornography 3,769 Pro-abortion 409 Right to life (Abortion, euthanasia, death penalty) 10 250 Seat of Parliament, Cape Town 650 000 Triune God 7 617 Triune God/Fundamental Rights/ Religious Leaders 9 623 Triune God/Religious Gatherings/ Anti-sexual orientation clause and abortion 1 551 Total 1,741,830

Petitions Phase 2

Pro Death Penalty 186 376 Pro Right to own Firearms 14 410 Anti-Sexual Orientation Clause 546 Pro- Sexual Orientation Clause 7 032 Christianity and the State 3 075 Property Rights 4 192 Rastafarian Rights 1 040 Animal Rights 17 600 Anti-Abortion 9 604 Comments on Bill of Rights and Preamble 210 Total 248,504 Total 1,741,830 GRAND TOTAL FOR BOTH PHASES 1,990,334