The Black Authorities Act, No 68 of 1951 (hereinafter BAA) was one of the legislative cornerstones of apartheid engineering which sought to control communities of black people. It laid the foundation for the establishment of statutory tribal, regional and territorial authorities to administer the affairs of black people; and also defined the functions of those black authorities. It has remained a symbol of past racial divisions and discrimination and is entirely repugnant to the values and human rights enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996.