UNITED DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT
SPEECH BY
ZWELODUMO MTIRARA, MP
ON TRADITIONAL LEADERSHIP
24 AUGUST 1999
Madam Chair
Firstly let me congratulate the Ministers for being appointed to their portfolio ministries. Secondly the UDM is welcoming the remuneration of our Kings and Chiefs as well, as of now that their affairs are being dealt with the office of the State President at last. UDM is a political movement for all the people of South Africa and it respects all the races of this Country in terms of their political, traditional and cultural norms. UDM has been put in place in the National Assembly by the people of this Country not for the sake of just opposing like other opposition parties, but to be the alternate official opposition and in turn alternate government for the future of this Country.
The designed framework of UDM in terms of rural governance is to incorporate traditional leaders so as to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of governance in rural situations. The principle is as easy as that the rural governance should fall with the ambit of the Constitution of this Country.
It must be composed of both the traditional leaders and the democratically elected councillors for the purpose of easy administration and etc. It is in the view of the UDM that the demarcation of wards should not cut across the existing boundaries of traditional authorities because that could cause the instability in this Country. Available infrastructure for traditional authorities should be utilised and upgraded for rural local governance. Traditional Authorities should be modernised for the administration of the day in order to operate for rural development and other needs for the local community. For the modernity of traditional authorities offices of police, welfare and pensions, rural development, estate, agriculture and land must be put in place for easy local governance. With the hereditary traditional leaders being the head.
The electoral system shall constitute both wards representation of which (60%) and proportional representation is (40% at district authority level) Hereditary traditional leaders shall be the heads of areas falling within their existing and preside over the meetings but shall not have powers to vote. If the people can be divided on the issue he/she must adjourn decision on the issue to maximise consensus if possible within 30 days of adjournment. If after 30 days of adjournment is still not possible a decision must be taken by 2/3 majority of the people eligible to vote. In the absence of a traditional leader councils may elect one of the members to preside at a meeting. Governance must be both transparent and accountable. Sensitivity of model to cultural norms and values must prevail in such committees.
Rural local government structures should co-operate with municipal councils (TLC) to develop a master plan for development in accordance with the principle of co-operative governance.
In terms of structuring the rural local government it must consist of five (5) authority systems as follows:
a) LOCALITY AREA (IBHODI/NOZITETYANA)
i. Convenor
ii. Permanent resident
b) LOCALITY COMMUNITY AREA (ILALI)
i. Traditional leader/chairperson
ii. Convenor of Locality Area (Admin Area)
c) LOCAL AUTHORITY/TRADITIONAL AUTHORITY
i. Traditional leader (Head of Local Authority)
ii. Convenors of Locality Areas
iii. Secretary for Local Authority (ex-officio)
d) DISTRICT AUTHORITIES
i. Heads of Local Authorities/Councillors for rural areas (60% -40%)
ii. District Clerk (ex officio)
e) REGIONAL GOVERNMENT
i. Kings/Queens/Chairpersons of Local Authorities Mayors of towns and chief executive officer (ex officio)
LOCAL AREA/ISIPHALUKA
This is the area which is governed by sub-headmen/ubhodi/unozithetyana. The area must be composed of all permanent residents living within that area. A convenor should be elected democratically by permanent residents.
LOCAL COMMUNITY AREA/ILALI
This area is commonly known as Administrative Area. It is composed of a recognised hereditary leader of royal blood in the area where there is one, or a democratically elected leader where there is none. In areas where there is no hereditary leader permanent residents shall democratically appoint the local leader. Convenors of all locality areas with the area of jurisdiction of such locality areas shall form a council of such areas.
LOCAL AUTHORITY/TRADITIONAL AUTHORITY (INGQILA)
The existing tribal or traditional authority area shall be known as local authority. The local authority shall exercise both legislative, adminisitratative quasi-judicial powers in respect of all areas falling within their spheres of jurisdiction which will include the following powers of developmental. Cultural and related matter above party political partisanship. Traditional leaders, leaders of community areas and convenors of locality areas shall constitute a Local Council. In areas presently administered by hereditary traditional leaders such a leader shall chair the meeting of the council. He/she shall not have the right to vote. If the Council should be divided on an issue he/she shall adjourn the matter for a period not exceeding 30 days to maximise consensus, this also includes the matters to be referred to the community (Imbizo) Should the consensus again fail the decision the matter must be taken by the 2/3 majority of members of the council who are eligible to vote.
DISTRICT AUTHORITY
District Councils shall be established in each magisterial district and shall consist of leaders of local authorities, councillors democratically elected from all demarcated wards in rural areas (60%) and persons elected from the wards through proportional representation system (40%). The chairperson of such authority must be democratically elected by all the members of the district council. Should the chairperson be a traditional leader the deputy must be one of the democratically elected councillors and vice-versa in the interim until the next election. The powers of the Council shall include the co-ordination of development and rendering of services in the district. This structure shall also promote the principle of co-operative governance with municipal council in the district.
REGIONAL GOVERNMENT
Regional Councils shall be established in respect of all areas inclusive of rural authorities and municipal councils within the area of regional government. The regional council shall replace both the regional and district councils and shall to a large extent be areas presently demarcated as falling with the district council. Regional council will have legislation and administrative powers including all powers assigned to it by the local government transition act. Regional council shall consist of Kings/Queens or their representatives, the heads of local authorities, the mayors of towns and councillor nominated by democratically elected councillors and those elected through the proportional representation system (60%-40%). The council in areas falling within the area of jurisdiction of a King/Queen shall preside over by the King/Queen who shall have no right to vote. The King or Queen shall delay the decision if the matter is divided for a period not exceeding 30 days in which case the decision may be taken by 2/3 majority of members eligible to vote. The King/Queen in that regional structure shall be the head of the regional council above political partisanship. When there are more than one King/Queen within regional council both King/Queen shall be co-heads of the Council alternating on a 50/50 basis during the term of the council.
I thank you.