Résumé
The Role of Public Finances in the Establishment of the New Democracy. With the new Constitution of 1996 giving a new direction to South-African society, it is perfectly natural that public finances should be called upon to play a major role in achieving national reconciliation. In order to reinforce democracy and equality, budgetary and financial powers have been modified in two key ways : the distribution of resources between the centre and the periphery, and financing the cost incurred by the introduction of new rights into the Constitution. Of course powers in the area of the budget and financial control must be exercised in a continuous manner in order to assure the transition necessary until revision of the Exchequer Act, which is the fundamental text in the area of public finances, takes place.