TRADE unions in the Northern Province won an historic victory last week when they forced one of the region’s most powerful traditional leaders to reinstate his office clerk. The Zebediela tribal authority clerk, Josephine Kekane, was fired two weeks ago after joining the Union of South African Authorities (Tusaa) as its provincial secretary. Tusaa threatened to take Zebediela chief Kgoshi Sello Kekane to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration on unfair labour practice charges. The case was lodged as the country’s first labour dispute between a traditional leader and union. The Congress of Traditional Leaders intervened before the case was heard and ordered Chief Kekane on Thursday to reinstate the clerk as her dismissal was “blatantly” unfair.