There has been an outcry over the payment of=20 traditional leaders, but there are sound reasons behind=20 the proposals, writes Ann Eveleth
BEHIND the draft Remuneration of Traditional Leaders=20 Bill approved by Cabinet last week and President Nelson=20 Mandela’s long-term proposal to provide chiefs with=20 parliamentary perks lies a comprehensive strategy to=20 turn traditional leaders into tools of development, and=20 their homeland-sponsored G3 rifles into spades.
While the proposals have come under fire from the=20 Inkatha Freedom Party, the National Party’s=20 KwaZulu/Natal caucus and the Democratic Party as an=20 expensive form of “political patronage” designed to=20 allow ANC pipers to call the tune for recalcitrant=20 traditional leaders, Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini’s=20 Royal Council spokesman Prince Sifiso Zulu says they’re=20 missing the point.
“It is unfortunate that these parties are blinded to=20 the reality of the unique situation in South Africa=20 where we’re trying to democratise the entire country.=20 If traditional leaders were going to be stumbling=20 blocks to democracy and development, that would have to=20 be addressed. You can’t expect traditional leaders to=20 open up to democracy without some movement toward=20 recognising their importance and difficulties,” said=20
Zulu added that the provision of official residences=20 would go a long way toward raising the status of chiefs=20 and reducing their antagonism toward development: “In=20 traditional communities, chiefs have been highly=20 respected, but in contemporary society we have respect=20 for those with high education levels and good jobs. If=20 a young man goes to university, earns good money and=20 comes back to build a big house, the chief’s status=20 falls and the young man gets more respect.”=20
The provision of houses will reduce the need for chiefs=20 to earn money to boost their status through “arbitrary=20 fines, surcharges and land fees”, while providing a=20 “breakthrough for development” in their areas, says=20 Zulu. It will also facilitate their blending with=20 modern society. “Traditionally, the kraals of amakhosi=20 have been located high on the slopes of hills, off the=20 main roads and inaccessible for security reasons. If=20 you build an official residence, they will obviously=20 have to come down from the slopes, nearer to the main=20 roads where they will be more accessible to people,”=20 said Zulu.
Congress of Traditional Leaders president chief=20 Patekile Holomisa adds that the other infrastructure –=20 cars, secretaries and drivers — are “not for personal=20 use, but to facilitate the work of the tribal=20
“Traditional leaders have great responsibilities –=20 they are administrators of land and communal affairs,=20 they are judicial officers with responsibility for=20 civil and some criminal cases, they settle disputes –=20 most of their time is spent attending to the needs of=20 their communities. They deserve to be well paid,” said=20
Holomisa rejected calls that communities should pay for=20 their own traditional leaders, rather than spending tax=20 money on them: “People in tribal areas are the poorest=20 of the poor in this country. It is no longer the time=20 when the people would simply till the land for the=20 chief. People have their own work to attend to. They=20 also pay taxes and they don’t need to be burdened with=20 such payments,” he said.
Contralesa KwaZulu/Natal chairman chief Zibuse Mlaba =20 predicted the Bill could also herald the end of=20 violence in South Africa’s rural areas: “The payments=20 have been used in the past to turn traditional leaders=20 into warlords. People are dying in this province=20 because they think they are fighting for their chief.=20 This will stabilise the situation.” Mlaba rejected=20 claims that the package would make traditional leaders=20 puppets of the ANC: “The recipe for the kind of=20 patronage exercised by the apartheid government and its=20 homeland subsidiaries does not exist. Previous=20 governments held power over chiefs through the ability=20 to appoint or depose chiefs. That is not part of the=20 Bill, so I don’t see how the ANC will become the=20 political paymasters.”=20
Holomisa said the question of inheritance among=20 traditional leaders needed to be sorted out once and=20 for all and pointed out that Contralesa has called=20 repeatedly for an independent commission of inquiry=20 into the legitimate status of traditional leaders=20 around the country, particularly those whose position=20 is disputed.=20
“Many — but not most — of the traditional leaders in=20 South Africa were appointed by apartheid, but that has=20 nothing to do with the legitimacy of the institution.=20 As far as those people go, the communities know who is=20 the real traditional leader, and this needs to be=20 sorted out. Then the communities and customary law will=20 determine the successors,” said Holomisa.
Holomisa said Contralesa had called for the=20 standardisation of payments even before last year’s=20 election but, he said, “when we made proposals to then=20 president DeKlerk, he told us the homelands were=20 responsible for out stipends – the homelands were=20 oppressing traditional leaders, and subverted the=20 institution in the name of apartheid.” Remarking that=20 the new moves would enable chiefs “to stand tall on=20 their own two feet,” Holomisa also delivered a warning=20 to anyone who thought the land question in South Africa=20 was settled: “Traditional leaders will now be able to=20 take up the causes of their ancestors who led the=20 struggles against colonialism. The whole of South=20 Africa is land that belonged to our forbears -=20 including the 87 percent which is still in the hands of=20 whites – traditional leaders will now be able to raise=20 their voices to demand a fair redistribution of land,=20 rather than the piecemeal process currently being=20 carried out.” Holomisa warned against any moves to=20 privatise tribal lands, noting that traditional leaders=20 are already worried about the prospect of waking up=20 some day to find their tribal authorities are owned by=20 creditors in the wake of private development, and that=20 the people have become tenants.