ActionSA welcomes the Joint Constitutional Review Committee’s (CRC) decision to prioritise legal consideration of proposals to amend the Constitution’s preamble to affirm that South Africa belongs to its legal citizens.
This development follows the Committee’s briefing on public submissions received during the 2025 review cycle, in which the amendment of the preamble emerged as the central proposal among submissions deemed to fall within the Committee’s mandate. The Committee has indicated that it will now obtain legal advice on the substance and feasibility of this proposal before determining the next steps.
This proposal aligns directly with the constitutional amendments ActionSA formally submitted, aimed at restoring the primacy of South African citizens within the constitutional framework and addressing the systemic weaknesses in the country’s immigration regime. This concern has been further underscored by the recent Special Investigating Unit (SIU) findings, which paint a deeply troubling picture of systemic corruption within the Department of Home Affairs, including syndicate-driven practices that effectively commodify visas, residency permits, and even pathways to citizenship.
The Committee’s decision to treat this issue as the primary matter for legal consideration represents a meaningful procedural step. It signals that concerns around the interpretation of the preamble, and its implications for governance, resource allocation, and immigration enforcement, are now firmly on Parliament’s agenda for substantive engagement.
While this does not constitute an endorsement of any single submission, it reflects a clear convergence between the public sentiment and ActionSA’s long-standing position that the Constitution must more explicitly put South African citizens first.
ActionSA will continue to engage constructively in the process, including forthcoming public hearings, to ensure that constitutional reform strengthens the State’s ability to act decisively in the national interest, while remaining fully compliant with the rule of law.
We look forward to the Committee’s receipt of legal advice and the next phase of public participation in this critical constitutional review process.
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