Hon Speaker, as you should be aware, there is already a constitutional amendment before Parliament which amends the powers of the Constitutional Court. This is the Constitution Seventeenth Amendment Bill, which was introduced last year. Far from limiting the powers of the Constitutional Court, the Bill, in fact, extends its jurisdiction.
One of the provisions of the Constitution Seventeenth Amendment Bill concerns which cases can be taken on appeal from the Supreme Court of Appeal to the Constitutional Court. Currently, the Constitutional Court may consider appeals from the Supreme Court of Appeal that are constitutional matters, as well as issues connected with decisions on constitutional matters.
The amendment will allow the Constitutional Court to consider any appeal on the grounds that the interests of justice require that the matter be decided by the Constitutional Court. I am informed that deliberations on the Bill are proceeding well in the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development, and that all parties are approaching the discussions with a view to arriving at the best conclusion for the administration of justice in our country.
I must state that I am a bit surprised by the concerns that have been raised regarding amendments to the Constitution. The Constitution is a living document. As I pointed out in my reply to the state of the nation debate, it is meant to be reviewed annually by a committee of Parliament. The Constitution has already been amended 16 times since it was adopted in 1996. That is a perfectly normal exercise.
As stated during the state of the nation address, we reaffirm our commitment to advancing the ideals of our country's Constitution. We have alluded to the fact that the kind of assessment we are to embark on is not unusual. For example, universities and research institutions undertake research at times to evaluate the impact of jurisprudence on the lives of people. This year marks 17 years of our constitutional democracy and is the 15th anniversary of the Constitution. It is an opportune time to review the capacity of the three branches of the state in carrying out their respective constitutional mandates and the way that their efforts have contributed to the establishment of a truly free, equal, nonracial, nonsexist and prosperous society. Continual assessments done in an open and transparent manner cannot possibly do any harm, especially given the legacy of colonial oppression and apartheid that we must eradicate.
The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development has released a discussion document on the transformation and role of the judicial system in the developmental South African state. We invite all stakeholders to participate actively to enhance and strengthen our democratic institutions. I thank you, hon Speaker.