South Africa still enjoys a "special status" within the Venice Commission, originally due to it not qualifying for membership or observer status before the advent of democracy in 1994.This is an anomaly, as the Commission played a significant role, not only in the constitutional negotiations leading from apartheid to democracy, but also in assisting the Constitutional Assembly in formulating the final Constitutional of 1996. The Commission further played a vital role in assisting the consolidation of South Africa's democracy through its assistance to the Constitutional Court, as well as the creation of a forum in which African constitutional court justices meet to exchange professional experiences and foster constitutionalism throughout Africa.