The Right to Development: The Missing Link in the South African Constitutional Order After 30 Years of Democracy

The aim of this article is to explore the extent to which the silence on the Right to Development (RTD) in the South African Constitution represents a critically missing link in the country’s constitutional framework after 30 years of democracy. To this end, the article examines the implications of this silence in three key areas: its consistency or lack thereof with the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, its implications for the Africanness of the Constitution, and its effect on addressing the issues of poverty, social justice, and inclusion within a single constitutional provision. Ultimately, the article establishes that the silence on the RTD is detrimental to the country’s constitutional order after 30 years of democracy. While the article has its focus on the South African legal landscape, it is, however, hoped that the findings will inform constitutional drafting, revisions and amendments in other African countries to ensure the inclusion of the RTD.