Free 1996 Constitution booklet signed by South African greats, now R1 Million

“IT KNOW him, I know him and I also know her”

- TERRY VAN DER WALT

These were the words uttered by former President Nelson Mandela when he was asked to autograph a 1996 booklet, The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, lovingly gathered over a few years by retired chef Neels du Plooy.

Now the much-travelled booklet is on sale on Facebook Marketplace with a price tag of a million rand, which might seem steep were it not for the fact that it has the signatures of 30 iconic South African political leaders and judicial pioneers who crafted our peaceful transition to democracy.

Many South Africans got a copy of the beloved booklet when it was released, but while ours have no collector value, Du Plooy’s is sure to pique the interest of collectors of Mandela memorabilia and those fascinated in our transition to democracy.

It has the signatures of former presidents, Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki, as well as the last apartheid president, FW de Klerk and current President Cyril Ramaphosa.

It also bears the signature of the King of Lesotho and the first Speaker of Parliament, Frene Ginwala,