The role of traditional leaders in community development: a case of Mbhashe Local Municipality
- Authors: Tsoko, Nokuzola Lulekwa
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Tribal government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Chiefdoms -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: vital:8330 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020400
- Description: The aim of the study is to establish the challenges that are experienced by traditional leadership that are prohibiting them from performing their roles. The reality is that despite the fact that there are guidelines on roles of traditional leaders, policies that are in place that entail the roles of traditional leaders, there are always problems such as disputes, grievances and complaints of unfair treatment by traditional leaders. The study seeks to explore the community of Mbhashe Local Municipality that has been hailed in developing its communities through the traditional leadership. This study shows the lessons learnt in this municipality that could be utilised as a model for other areas and thus assist in the improvement of other communities through similar relationships. The objectives of the study are based on the above introduction and problem statement namely: those traditional leaders, who have a role to play in the development of their communities, they have a potential to contribute towards the development by involving government departments and other relevant stakeholders with potential to develop the rural communities. The reality is that government has not succeeded in empowering the traditional leadership institutions in terms of development, their roles and functions. The study seeks to establish the meaningful roles and functions of the traditional leaders in their communities with reference to the local governments of municipalities. The study is conducted within the qualitative and quantitative paradigm, based on a literature review, personal visits and interviews with traditional leaders and elected municipal councillors of municipalities and community members. The study concluded by arguing that traditional leaders do have a role to play in the development of their rural communities also government has a big role to ensure that the Traditional Leaders are capacitated. The study therefore seeks to explore the reasons as to why some traditional leaders are not playing their roles as expected, what can be done to improve their understanding of their role in terms of development. The conclusion of the study is based on the fact that the institution of traditional leadership in South Africa dates back to the pre-colonial era. The power and influence of traditional leaders in South African societies has been weakened over the years due to the adoption of Western style political systems. However at the dawn of democracy in 1994, a lot of effort includes legislative and other regulatory steps aimed towards the empowerment of traditional leaders in areas where there is customary law system. Traditional Leaders have served as the spokesperson of the people as well as bringing the gap between the government and the people. The results of the study found that traditional leaders are pivotal in the community development programmes in the Mbhashe Local Municipality. Traditional leaders need empowerment in local government through a vivid policy framework aimed at establishing how they can actively partake in the affairs of the municipality. Also the study found that at present, traditional leaders appear to be operationally parallel with councillors, a situation which creates tension and damage to their morale. Such a policy framework would do a lot to give traditional leaders an engagement model, roles and responsibilities at municipal level. More importantly the manner in which they can cooperate with councillors towards sustainable community development needs more attention and intervention from local government.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Tsoko, Nokuzola Lulekwa
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Tribal government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Chiefdoms -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: vital:8330 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020400
- Description: The aim of the study is to establish the challenges that are experienced by traditional leadership that are prohibiting them from performing their roles. The reality is that despite the fact that there are guidelines on roles of traditional leaders, policies that are in place that entail the roles of traditional leaders, there are always problems such as disputes, grievances and complaints of unfair treatment by traditional leaders. The study seeks to explore the community of Mbhashe Local Municipality that has been hailed in developing its communities through the traditional leadership. This study shows the lessons learnt in this municipality that could be utilised as a model for other areas and thus assist in the improvement of other communities through similar relationships. The objectives of the study are based on the above introduction and problem statement namely: those traditional leaders, who have a role to play in the development of their communities, they have a potential to contribute towards the development by involving government departments and other relevant stakeholders with potential to develop the rural communities. The reality is that government has not succeeded in empowering the traditional leadership institutions in terms of development, their roles and functions. The study seeks to establish the meaningful roles and functions of the traditional leaders in their communities with reference to the local governments of municipalities. The study is conducted within the qualitative and quantitative paradigm, based on a literature review, personal visits and interviews with traditional leaders and elected municipal councillors of municipalities and community members. The study concluded by arguing that traditional leaders do have a role to play in the development of their rural communities also government has a big role to ensure that the Traditional Leaders are capacitated. The study therefore seeks to explore the reasons as to why some traditional leaders are not playing their roles as expected, what can be done to improve their understanding of their role in terms of development. The conclusion of the study is based on the fact that the institution of traditional leadership in South Africa dates back to the pre-colonial era. The power and influence of traditional leaders in South African societies has been weakened over the years due to the adoption of Western style political systems. However at the dawn of democracy in 1994, a lot of effort includes legislative and other regulatory steps aimed towards the empowerment of traditional leaders in areas where there is customary law system. Traditional Leaders have served as the spokesperson of the people as well as bringing the gap between the government and the people. The results of the study found that traditional leaders are pivotal in the community development programmes in the Mbhashe Local Municipality. Traditional leaders need empowerment in local government through a vivid policy framework aimed at establishing how they can actively partake in the affairs of the municipality. Also the study found that at present, traditional leaders appear to be operationally parallel with councillors, a situation which creates tension and damage to their morale. Such a policy framework would do a lot to give traditional leaders an engagement model, roles and responsibilities at municipal level. More importantly the manner in which they can cooperate with councillors towards sustainable community development needs more attention and intervention from local government.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
The effectiveness of traditional leaders in the development of the rural Eastern Cape
- Authors: Kewana, Nonzaliseko Gladys
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Tribal government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Political leadership -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Soc Sc (Dev)
- Identifier: vital:11411 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/296 , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Tribal government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Political leadership -- South Africa
- Description: Traditional leadership is a contested field in social and political environments. The new, democratic government has created an environment that accommodates the existence of traditional leadership by introducing policies that guide their functioning. The White Paper on Traditional Leadership of 2003 spells out the roles and responsibilities of traditional leaders. This document when used with the Municipal Structures Act 117 of 2003 may minimise the existing tensions between the traditional leaders and the democratically elected councillors. The White Paper on Traditional Leadership of 2003 has been designed accordingly with the Bill of Rights. Equality and prevention of unfair discrimination, has been entrenched in the Bill of Rights of the Republic of South Africa. Traditional leaders, therefore, do have a space in the governance of South Africa. They are expected to participate in development programmes and in promoting service delivery. This study used the method of a case study. It is a qualitative study. Questionnaires and interviews are tools used to collect data. Various observations and findings were made with proposed recommendations. Most important to note is that, the traditional leaders are aware of the White Paper on Traditional Leadership but do not know what to do about it. This reveals that there is a gap between practice and policy. is the recommendation of the study that, the officials from Local Government and Traditional Affairs and those from the municipalities workshop and mentor the traditional leaders as well as the democratically elected councillors. Such a practice could minimise if not eliminate the tensions that result in poor service delivery.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Kewana, Nonzaliseko Gladys
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Tribal government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Political leadership -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Soc Sc (Dev)
- Identifier: vital:11411 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/296 , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Tribal government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Political leadership -- South Africa
- Description: Traditional leadership is a contested field in social and political environments. The new, democratic government has created an environment that accommodates the existence of traditional leadership by introducing policies that guide their functioning. The White Paper on Traditional Leadership of 2003 spells out the roles and responsibilities of traditional leaders. This document when used with the Municipal Structures Act 117 of 2003 may minimise the existing tensions between the traditional leaders and the democratically elected councillors. The White Paper on Traditional Leadership of 2003 has been designed accordingly with the Bill of Rights. Equality and prevention of unfair discrimination, has been entrenched in the Bill of Rights of the Republic of South Africa. Traditional leaders, therefore, do have a space in the governance of South Africa. They are expected to participate in development programmes and in promoting service delivery. This study used the method of a case study. It is a qualitative study. Questionnaires and interviews are tools used to collect data. Various observations and findings were made with proposed recommendations. Most important to note is that, the traditional leaders are aware of the White Paper on Traditional Leadership but do not know what to do about it. This reveals that there is a gap between practice and policy. is the recommendation of the study that, the officials from Local Government and Traditional Affairs and those from the municipalities workshop and mentor the traditional leaders as well as the democratically elected councillors. Such a practice could minimise if not eliminate the tensions that result in poor service delivery.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
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