Grondwetlike waardes, openbare administrasie en die reg op toegang tot omgewingsinligting

• Main Authors: A. Ferreira-Snyman, W. du Plessis
• Format: Article
• Language: Afrikaans
• Published: Scriber Editorial Systems 2002-08-01
• Series: Koers : Bulletin for Christian Scholarship
• Subjects: Access To Environmental Information; Constitutional Values; Public Administration
• Online Access: https://www.koersjournal.org.za/index.php/koers/article/view/379

Constitutional values, public administration and the right of access to environmental information During the previous constitutional dispensation in South Africa the management of information tended to be excessively secretive. This position was changed by section 32 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. According to the 1996 Constitution South Africa is a sovereign, democratic state founded on certain values such as human dignity, freedom and equality. The public administration is governed by democratic values and principles such as transparency. In this article the constitutional values and principles that underlie an open and democratic society are discussed. Thereafter the right of access to information and the legislation that gives content to this right are analysed. It is concluded that the right of access to information can provide opportunities to the public sector, the private sector and the general public to form partnerships in sharing environmental information in order to fulfil their constitutional obligations.