New Constitution Wins Final Approval

South Africa’s highest court gave final approval to a new constitution. The 11-member Constitutional Court certified the 150-page document, which is considered one of the most liberal constitutions in the world. It outlaws capital punishment, protects gay and lesbian rights and includes a Bill of Rights that guarantees equal rights for all. An earlier draft of the charter had to be reworked after it was rejected in court earlier this year. The new document, which took two years to negotiate, will take full effect by 1999. President Nelson Mandela is scheduled to sign it into law Tuesday.