What does it mean to be South African? Navigating identity in a complex democracy

The Inclusive Society Institute, in partnership with Daily Maverick, officially launched its Constitutional Insights by Albie Sachs webinar series on 23 July 2025. This series builds on an earlier four-part podcast with former Constitutional Court Justice Albie Sachs, which reflected on the ideals, promises, and unfinished work of South Africa’s constitutional democracy. The webinars are designed to extend these reflections into live, interactive conversations with leading thinkers and practitioners, with a view to making constitutional debates more accessible to the public.

The first conversation brought together respected analyst and commentator William Gumede and renowned constitutional law scholar Prof. Pierre de Vos. Their discussion centred on one of the most fundamental and contested questions in South Africa today: What does it mean to be South African?

The dialogue explored issues of identity, belonging, and citizenship in post-apartheid South Africa, reflecting on how the Constitution envisioned a united people while recognising deep diversity. Gumede and de Vos spoke to the challenges of building a shared national identity in the face of persistent inequality, lingering racial divisions, and generational differences in how democracy is experienced. They noted that belonging is not just about legal citizenship but also about whether people feel included, respected, and represented within society’s political and cultural frameworks.

The speakers emphasised that the Constitution provides a foundation for shared identity through its values of dignity, equality, and freedom, but that these values must be actively lived and defended. They pointed out that the younger generation, in particular, is redefining what it means to be South African, often questioning traditional narratives of nationhood and seeking new forms of inclusion that go beyond symbolic unity.

Audience engagement highlighted strong interest in how citizenship and identity intersect with everyday lived experiences — from language and education to economic opportunity and participation in political processes. This underscored the need for continuous dialogue about belonging and citizenship, not only in academic or legal spaces but within communities and among ordinary South Africans.

This inaugural webinar set the tone for the rest of the series by posing difficult but essential questions about the meaning of democracy and inclusivity. The three upcoming episodes will continue this work by tackling critical themes:

• The role of state institutions in defending democracy

• The transformative power of mother tongue education

• What it will take to create an inclusive electoral system

Through these conversations, the Constitutional Insights series aims to spark broader public reflection on the enduring relevance of the Constitution and how it can guide South Africa toward a more inclusive and just future.