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:
Traditional leadership and the use of cultural laws in land administration: implications for rural women's land rights in a transforming South Africa
- Authors: Ntwasa, Bayanda
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Land tenure -- South Africa , Rural women -- South Africa , Tribal government -- South Africa , Land use, Rural -- South Africa , Right of property -- South Africa , Women's rights -- South Africa , Chiefdoms -- South Africa , Political leadership -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Soc Sc (Rural Development)
- Identifier: vital:11938 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/134 , Land tenure -- South Africa , Rural women -- South Africa , Tribal government -- South Africa , Land use, Rural -- South Africa , Right of property -- South Africa , Women's rights -- South Africa , Chiefdoms -- South Africa , Political leadership -- South Africa
- Description: This dissertation critically examines how traditional leaders use cultural laws to allocate land to women and to allow women to participate in land administration in communal areas. Given the government's commitment to gender equity in all spheres of life as stipulated in Section 9 (3) of the South African Constitution (Act 108 of 1996), the dissertation examines whether related legislation and policy (such as CLARA and TLGFA) alone can guarantee equitable access to land for women and their participation in land administration structures in communal areas where patriarchy dominates. In essence, the study interrogates whether state intervention through formalizing laws that govern land matters do achieve gender equity while cultural laws still exist in communal areas. Based on the view that land in communal areas is held by the state and administered by traditional leaders who have historically discriminated against women, the dissertation employs a case study method to examine whether cultural laws are exercised when women apply for a piece of land at the three levels of traditional authority viz: village, sub-village and traditional council levels in the Matolweni village of the Nqadu Tribal Authority. Although women are often the de facto rights holders in rural areas as a result of male migration to urban areas, findings seem to indicate that it is difficult and/or sometimes impossible to translate paper laws into practice while cultural laws are still operating. For effective transformation to occur, the study recommends that unless a strong women's rural movement emerges, coupled with a socialist feminist position that advocates for a radical transformation of rural society to defeat the patriarchal norms and standards, traditional leaders will continue to discriminate against women in land issues.
- Full Text: