OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Monday
PRESIDENT Thabo Mbeki has launched the African National Congress’ (ANC) local election campaign with a pledge that free basic services will be provided to the poor – but first faces a potential showdown with traditional leaders threatening to derail the elections.
Mbeki unveiled his party’s manifesto to a subdued crowd in the Karoo town of Beaufort West, saying the fight against poverty is at the core of the ANC’s programme for local government, and the rich would have to subsidise a portion of the services of the poor.
However, his government’s first battle – to allow the elections to go ahead – is looming in a key meeting with traditional leaders, who are said to be holding “a diametrically opposed position” on the role the leaders will play in a new municipal demarcation.
Local Government Minister Sydney Mufamadi said the government is determined to hold the municipal elections this year, and will not allow them to be held to ransom.
He warned that although the leaders wanted to deal directly with Mbeki on the issue, “there is no possibility of the president reaching agreement with traditional leaders that bypasses the legislative process.”
“We are duty bound to take into account the concerns of those who cannot wait a minute longer for the further democratisation of the country.”
National Council of Traditional Leaders chairman Chief Mtiyezintombi Mzimela said traditional leaders and their communities would have to decide what would happen if government pressed ahead with the polls before an agreement was reached.
Asked whether violence was an option, he said: “Our hope and our wish is that we are looking for free and fair elections, peaceful elections. We wouldn’t like to see any violence erupting in our areas.”
Mzimela said it was possible to reconcile democratic values with traditional leadership. There was an erroneous notion that democracy was not known in traditional systems, and “African democracy” should not be given a lower status than Western democracy.
The department believes traditional leaders should get representation, but no vote, on local authorities.
Mbeki was quick to point out that the ANC manifesto does not mean households will get all services free. “Rather, it means that every household, rich or poor, will get a small amount of the main service free every month. The more it uses, the higher the rates for each unit.”