Betrayed by the ANC, Contralesa is reviewing its options for the future, Wally Mbhele reports
The congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) confirmed this week that it plans to cut ties with the African National Congress, but played down suggestions it was seeking links with the newly launched United Democratic Movement.
Contralesas shift away from the ANC will be discussed at the organisations national conference in Johannesburg this weekend.
Speaking to the Mail & Guardian, Contralesa president Chief Patekile Holomisa said his organisation felt betrayed by the ANC government and now had to consider whether the constitutional recognition of the role of traditional leaders was a mere symbolic gesture or something meaningful.
He said three views will come under discussion this weekend. The organisation will consider whether to seek new political alliances, to transform into a political party or remain neutral.
These proposals could cause ANC officials like Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, who is the treasurer of Contralesa, to reconsider their membership of the organisation. Madikizela-Mandela, for instance, holds executive positions in both organisations. Holomisa is also an ANC MP in the National Assembly.
There has been speculation in recent weeks that many Contralesa members are attracted to the idea of an alliance with the UDM of Bantu Holomisa and Roelf Meyer.
Contralesas Holomisa acknowledged that many of his members have joined the UDM, but nevertheless emphasised that his organisation has people from across the political spectrum.
He said it had been necessary in the past to forge political ties with the ANC, as many tribal leaders were engaged in resisting independence in former homelands.
We needed the restoration of the dignity attached to the institution of the tribal authority, and when organisations were unbanned we pursued a similar goal within the ranks of the ANC, he said.
Now that we have achieved democracy, there is a feeling that it is no longer necessary to form political alliances. We have people from across the political spectrum. A lot of us belong to the UDM now, he added.
Holomisa told the M&G that it was going to be difficult to decide on the question of political alignment as many members do not want to burn their fingers anymore.
We wont be getting into any political fold unless the conference decides otherwise. Well also focus on issues in which we share the same interests and goals with other parties, said Holomisa.
He said his organisation now realises that the ANC was only interested in granting traditional leaders a symbolic constitutional recognition, but not a real and practical recognition.
So far our recognition in the Constitution has been one of our major achievements since the dawn of democracy in South Africa. We, however, have to consider whether or not this recognition goes far enough.
He alleged that traditional leaders in some provinces have been disempowered of their traditional authority and the conference will have to look into that.
We have a situation where we are no longer allocated budgets in some provinces. The House of the Council of Traditional Leaders is not given funds to carry out its tasks. Our role has become worse in the final Constitution.
Looking at the land question, title deeds to certain land … which was taken away from the tribal leaders have not been restored. The present government does not want to restore title deeds to the tribal authority.
He felt marginalised by the government as his organisation was not invited to be part of the Heritage Day festivities. The question of art and culture is very important to us … we were supposed to be actively involved, he said.