| One of the less publicized
consequences of South Africa's long isolation from the international community,
was its relative inattention to new developments in international law.
This was particularly evident with regard to its signature of international
multilateral treaties. By the time it re-entered the international community
in the early 1990's, South Africa had fallen seriously behind in almost
all areas of international law. The change in political regime, and the
adoption of a new, more "international law friendly", (final) constitution,
has brought about renewed activity in this regard.
However, South Africa's efforts towards reviewing and updating its participation in the various international multilateral legal regimes established over the last fifty or so years, has been slow at best. The initial rush to sign treaties soon wore out, and their respective ratification's have since languished in Parliament. Recent activity has also demonstrated a non-systematic approach to the selection of international treaties, where preference is given to signing on to new, higher-profile, treaties in specific areas, as opposed to "catching up" with those treaties concluded during the years of isolation. Major examples include the Genocide Convention, the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, the Apartheid Conventions, and the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights establishing an individual complaint procedure involving the Human Rights Committee. It is therefore of equal interest to consider not only the treaties South Africa has signed, but also the treaties it has not signed. To view a list of selected treaties which South Africa has not signed, select the relevant category above. Please note that no attempt was made to provide an exhaustive listing of treaties. Instead, reference is made primarily to major multilateral treaties deposited with the United Nations. |