BILL OF RIGHTS – SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. What is the function of the Bill of Rights?

2. Provide an explanation of democracy.
3. Which Chapter of the Constitution contains the Bill of Rights?
4. Who or what does the Bill of Rights apply to?
5. List the democratic values supported by the Bill of Rights and
identify the cornerstone value.
6. Are the rights within the Bill of Rights absolute? Explain.
7. The Bill of Rights contains a list of our human rights. How many of these
rights are there?
8. Which right does section 9 of the Constitution provide for?
9. Provide an explanation of equality.
10. Differentiate between direct and indirect discrimination with regard to the
right to equality
11. What is the difference between discriminating against someone on the
basis of their sex and discriminating against someone on the basis of their
gender?
12. Section 9 of the Constitution lists certain grounds upon which the State may
not unfairly discriminate against any person. List these grounds.
13. Which right does section 10 of the Constitution provide for?
14. Which right does section 11 of the Constitution provide for?
15. With regard to section 12 of the Constitution, what does it mean that people
have the right to psychological and bodily integrity?
16. Which right does section 13 of the Constitution provide for?
17. Provide the wording of section 15 of the Constitution.
18. How can your right to privacy be infringed? Explain fully.
19. What does the right to freedom of expression entail? Explain fully.
20. What does the right to freedom of assembly entail? Provide an example of
this right.
21. What does the right to freedom of association entail? Provide an example of
this right.
22. What does it mean when we say that we have the right to make political
choices? Explain fully.
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23. List all the people who may vote in a South African election.
24. List the ways in which a person can become a citizen of South Africa.
25. Which right does section 21 of the Constitution provide for?
26. What does “freedom of movement” mean?
27. Which right does section 22 of the Constitution provide for?
28. Which right does section 23 of the Constitution provide for?
29. Does section 23 of the Constitution only apply to employees? Explain.
30. Which right does section 24 of the Constitution provide for?
31. What are the three main aims of section 24 of the Constitution?
32. Which right does section 25 of the Constitution provide for?
33. Provide an explanation of “adequate housing”.
34. Which right does section 27 of the Constitution provide for?
35. Which right does section 28 of the Constitution provide for?
36. What is meant by the term “further education” as contained in section 29 of
the Constitution?
37. Identify the right contained in the following sections:
• Section 30
• Section 31
• Section 32
• Section 33
• Section 34
38. Arrested, detained and accused persons have several different rights as
contained in section 35 of the Constitution. List these.
39. What does it mean when we say that the rights within the Bill of Rights are
not absolute?
40. What does it mean when we say that the rights within the Bill of Rights can
be limited?
41. In order to establish whether the infringement of a constitutional right is
justifiable, we apply a two-stage enquiry. List these stages.
42. Can you think of an example where the infringement of the right contained
in section 11 of the Constitution would be justified? Explain.