South AfricaZA

Article 71 of the Constitution of South Africa

Article
71
Chapter
CHAPTER 4 — PARLIAMENT
Index row title
(1) Delegates to the National Council of Provinces and the persons referred to in sections 66 and 67—
Source document
The South Africa Constitution
Provision ID
18418247-9569-4fb3-b0a1-040d633c0f7e

143 words

Verbatim text

(a) have freedom of speech in the Council and in its committees, subject to its rules and orders; and (b) are not liable to civil or criminal proceedings, arrest, imprisonment or damages for— (i) anything that they have said in, produced before or submitted to the Council or any of its committees; or (ii) anything revealed as a result of anything that they have said in, produced before or submitted to the Council or any of its committees. Chapter 4: Parliament (2) Other privileges and immunities of the National Council of Provinces, delegates to the Council and persons referred to in sections 66 and 67 may be prescribed by national legislation. (3) Salaries, allowances and benefits payable to permanent members of the National Council of Provinces are a direct charge against the National Revenue Fund. Public access to and involvement in National Council

What this means

  • The index files this text under article 71 of the Constitution of South Africa.
  • The index files it under the chapter heading “CHAPTER 4 — PARLIAMENT”.
  • The passage runs to about 143 words.
  • Read plainly, it mentions arrest and detention — it deals with arrest or detention, and the conditions attached to holding a person (the words used: “arrest”); it mentions freedom of expression — it protects speaking, writing, publishing or holding an opinion (the words used: “freedom of speech”); it mentions pay and pensions — it sets pay, salary, allowance or pension terms (the words used: “Salaries”).

The row’s stored title is a body fragment, not a heading (“(1) Delegates to the National Council of Provinces and the persons referred to in sections 66 and 67—”), so it is not used as the provision’s title here.

The index gives this passage an article number but stores a body fragment where a heading would be, so the number could not be cross-checked against the text. Check it against the official Constitution before relying on it in a citation.

This is a mechanical reading aid generated from the text above by matching words in it. It is not legal advice, not a lawyer’s interpretation, and not a substitute for the provision itself.

How to cite this

Constitution of South Africa, article 71, Portable Lawyer, https://www.portablelawyer.app/provision/18418247-9569-4fb3-b0a1-040d633c0f7e (accessed 25 October 2026).

Canonical URL: https://www.portablelawyer.app/provision/18418247-9569-4fb3-b0a1-040d633c0f7e

Accessed 25 October 2026.

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