Eastern Cape traditional leaders have high hopes that premier Oscar Mabuyane, due to deliver his address at the annual official opening of the Eastern Cape House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders on Friday, will confront the burning issues the province faces.
These include rural development, land issues, crime, deaths of initiates, efforts to deal with infighting within royal families, the promotion of traditional leadership institutions and their participation on issues of development.
The premier is expected to give clarity on the 2015 moratorium on recognising new traditional leaders and elevating some headmanships, as well as the progress on the work being done by the Mndende committee investigating traditional leadership disputes and claims.
Though co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) minister Velenkosini Hlabisa’s office is on record as saying the 2015 moratorium on recognition of traditional leaders was lifted by former minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma in June 2021, provincial Cogta MEC Zolile Williams’ department is still enforcing it.
Western Thembuland King Siyambonga Dalimvula Matanzima said: “We want to know if there is a moratorium or not. The premier must explain the current situation.
“The Mndende committee has held many public hearings on issues of traditional disputes and claims but we have not heard of any outcomes.
“Also, the premier should explain the issues of reconstitution of traditional councils, especially those led by the province’s headmen.
“Another burning issue is the kingdoms’ budgets. The infrastructure in our great places is decaying. Some were destroyed by thunderstorms many years ago, but never fixed.”
Matanzima said it had been many years since Mabuyane promised to tar the road connecting the R61 from KuMtshabe via the Ncorha Irrigation Scheme to Cala, yet nothing had happened.
AmaMpondomise King Luzuko Matiwane called for the lifting of the moratorium on the recognition of traditional leaders.
“We expect the premier to talk about food security through traditional leaders for the benefit of communities, crime, stock theft, youth employment, lack of skills development in rural communities and the funding of traditional councils,” he said.
Contralesa provincial chair Nkosi Mwelo Nonkonyana said Mabuyane should assure the house the government was serious about addressing the issues Contralesa had raised since 1994, including:
- Reinstating the pride and dignity of the institution by restoring its powers and functions;
- Accelerating the lifting of the moratorium on recognition of traditional leadership;
- Restoring land stolen from the traditional leaders since the arrival of colonialists;
- Assisting royal families in establishing legitimate structures to prevent bogus claims;
- Implementing traditional policing with satellite police stations at all great places, and
- Announcing a date for the Traditional Leadership Summit.
Eastern Cape Royal Leaders Forum chair Nkosi Zwelithobile Mtirara suggested Mabuyane’s address would be just another talk show, adding: “We need service delivery for our communities, water, agricultural development and robust strategies to fight crime in our areas. We need anti-poverty programmes.”
Royal Leaders of SA provincial chair Nkosi Dakhile Ndamase said the failure of the government to respond to calls by traditional leaders to apply the law had led to lawlessness.
He was also concerned about diminishing traditional female leadership, because women’s role in the traditional space added value to communities’ social conduct.
Eastern Cape House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders chair Nkosi Mpumalanga Gwadiso said job creation through investment opportunities should be a key part of the premier’s address.
He also wanted to see increased crime prevention, improvements in health provision, education and roads, and sufficient budgets for traditional leadership.
Imbumba Yamakhosikazi Akomkhulu provincial chair Queen MaDosini Ndamase referred to Mabuyane’s 2023 state of the province address and the official opening of the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders in the same year.
“He outlined a plan of how he is going to work with kings and institutions of traditional leaders and have great places and palaces renovated.
“A beautiful plan, but no action followed, no renovations were ever done.”
The queen also said the issue of a gratuity for traditional leaders remained a crisis.
Nkosikazi Nosintu Gwebindlala, of Xhorha Mouth in Elliotdale, expressed concern over Wild Coast attacks targeting owners of establishments and tourists.
“The premier must speak about tourism safety, economic development in rural areas, rural maritime development and rural entrepreneurship,” Gwebindlala said.
President Cyril Ramaphosa officially opened the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders on Tuesday, saying the deaths and injuries of initiates in the Eastern Cape “remains a matter of serious concern”.
Daily Dispatch
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