SOUTH AFRICA – In February and August 2026, the Chandler Institute of Justice (CIJ) delivered two rounds of its Foundational Legislative Drafting Programme with Members of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature under the Drafting Laws That Matter programme. Both rounds were led by CIJ's Legislative Drafting Specialist Heinrich Muller. Across four days of training in total, sessions moved from constitutional first principles to the practical skills and techniques of modern legislative drafting, equipping Members to draft with greater clarity, precision, and confidence.

Laws Built to Last

Opening the February programme, Muller described the central challenge of legislative drafting: "Drafters are required to be fortune tellers — to see into the future, to anticipate. They are expected to work out possibilities that may arise in the future and cover them in the law they are drafting." Drafters, he explained, must anticipate how society, technology, innovation, and institutions will evolve, and design laws resilient enough to endure that change.

The February sessions focused on the fundamentals that make legislation durable, including a well-defined purpose, constitutional alignment, careful use of language, and the discipline required to translate policy intent into enforceable law. The second day traced how drafting methodologies have evolved from 19th-century techniques to modern approaches, equipping legislators with analytical tools to draft laws that are both principled and future ready. Particular attention was given to structure and consistency, and a practical session examined delegated legislation and its governance implications.

Deepening the Practice

The August programme built on the February foundation, moving further into the principles and techniques of modern legislative drafting. Day one deepened participants' understanding of the practical skills that determine whether a law actually says and does what it is meant to do. Day two covered the historical context of legislative drafting, and structural and linguistic tools for improving clarity and precision. Practical exercises shaped discussions on how legislative quality can be raised across the Legislature's work. The final session on delegated legislation, best drafting practices and the recent judicial pronouncements  was particularly valued by Members, given the Legislature's oversight role over the Executive. 

Why This Matters

Members who completed each round of the Programme received certificates in recognition of their training. The conversations across both programmes were rich, interactive, and deeply practical, reflecting a shared commitment to legislative excellence in the Eastern Cape. CIJ is grateful to the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature for hosting both rounds of training and looks forward to continued collaboration to advance high-quality, effective lawmaking.

Strengthening legislative capacity is not abstract training. It is an investment in institutional resilience and the rule of law.