Traditional Leaders on Tour: Pretoria, South Africa
Day 1: 18th August 2006
The traditional leaders tour of three African Countries, The Republic of South
Africa, Botswana and Ghana, kicked off today in Pretoria, South Africa. The
Sudanese delegation is composed of two Kings, two Princes, Chiefs and a representative
from the Government of Southern Sudan’s Ministry of Local Government.
These traditional leaders represent Southern Sudan, Abyei and the Nuba Mountains.
The tour began with a visit to the National House of Traditional Leaders (NHOTL).
The National House of Traditional Leaders is housed in the Department of Local
Government in Pretoria. This house is composed of eighteen traditional leaders
who represent six out of the nine provinces in South Africa. Three provinces
do not have representatives as they do not have traditional leaders.
At the National House of Traditional Leaders, the Sudanese delegation was welcomed
and briefed by Mr. Zam Titus, the Special Advisor to the Minister of Local Government
and Provincial Affairs. Mr. Titus explained the governance system in South Africa,
and how the traditional leaders fit into the greater scheme of the governance
system. He also briefed the delegation on the government’s new legislation
and policies on traditional leadership. He also pointed out the laws that apply
to traditional leadership in South Africa.
The Chairperson of the NHOTL, Khosi Kutama, made a presentation on traditional
leadership in South Africa. He gave a historical perspective on how the institution
of traditional leadership came to be formalized in the governance system of
South Africa.
The delegation was also addressed by the Chief Executive Officer of the NHOTL,
Mr Sithole. In his address, Mr Sithole pointed out the roles, responsibilities
and functions of the NHOTL. He described the functions of the house and also
explained the four levels of traditional institutions in South Africa. He also
went on to discuss the work of the six house committees and the process of budgeting.
The General Secretary of the Congress of Traditional Leaders in South Africa
(CONTRALESA), Nkosi Mwelo Nonkonyana made a presentation on “the role
of the organization of traditional leaders in enhancing democracy in Africa”.
He spoke about the struggle that the traditional leaders in South Africa undertook
to ensure that they were formally recognized by the government. Nkosi Mwelo,
who is a traditional leader as well as a parliamentarian, stressed that it was
necessary for African governments to complement the principles of traditional
African leadership with those of western democratic principles. He cautioned
against focusing too much on western political philosophy at the expense of
African political philosophy.
Professor Guma, a South African traditional healer, spoke on the importance
of our African value systems. He warned that as African, we have to stop focusing
too much on the religions that were imported by the Europeans and the Arabs.
He said that African religions are rich and their value systems were important
to keeping our cultures. He stressed traditional leaders were key for the process
of re-Africanization of African minds.
At the end of the day, the Sudanese delegation thanked the traditional leaders
and the Government of South Africa for the warm welcome accorded to them. They
expressed their wish that the process of interactio |
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