Date: 22/10/2004
Title: Moloto: Provincial Conference of Contralesa
SPEAKER'S NOTES FOR MR SELLO MOLOTO, PREMIER OF LIMPOPO DURING THE PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE OF CONTRALESA AT M. J. GATEWAY, Polokwane
Programme director
The Chairperson and Executive Committee of Contralesa
Honourable traditional leaders
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Your conference takes place amidst exciting developments in our country and elsewhere in the continent. We are entering the second decade of democracy with a growing sense of maturity within our administrative and governance structures. The proclamation of Traditional Leadership and Governance Act, Act No: 41 of 2003 clearly define the role of this indigenous institution of our people relative to the three spheres of governance – national, provincial and local.
The system of co-operative governance is being enhanced and the traditional leadership is finding itself a niche position to be able to perform a unique and vital role within the broader administrative framework. At most we are in unison that government, at whatever level, is there to serve the needs and aspirations of our people.
Neither us as elected representatives nor you as traditional leadership should regard ourselves as “rulers” – but rather as “servants” in the broadest sense of the word; that is, we are there to look after the welfare and best interests of the people who have placed their trust in us.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We are sure that you are quite aware of the high premium that this government places on the institution of traditional leadership and the high regard that we have for your contribution to society. At institutional level we see it in the creation of the House of Traditional Leaders and the respective provincial Houses, also in Limpopo. Moreover it remains an important and regular issue on the agenda of the President’s Co-ordinating Council on which all the Premiers serve.
We announced in the State of the Province Address on the 27th of May this year that responsibility for traditional leadership will be moved from the department of Local Government and Housing to the Premier’s Office. This is a clear indication of the high premium that our government places on traditional affairs and your position in our society.
We are pleased to announce today that this process has just been completed. Please be assured that the doors of the Office of the Premier are always open for you. You should not hesitate to approach the office to raise issues of mutual concern.
We should also announce here that we have made a remarkable progress regarding the payment of Headmen. We are currently wrapping up on few outstanding cases and will ensure that they are resolved by the end of this financial year.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The Minister of Provincial and Local Government has recently announced the Commission to investigate and deal with issues of traditional leadership succession and related disputes.
We know that this is an issue that has occupied your minds for a considerable period of time. We need not remind you about the background to this problem. You are well aware of the way in which successive apartheid administrations played loose and fast with the institution of traditional leadership, how differences and disputes were manipulated to suit their short-sighted agendas and how opponents of the homeland system were sidelined or eliminated in favour of more compliant candidates.
The advent of democracy in 1994 brought an end to that immoral apartheid system. This current government holds the institution of traditional leadership in the highest regard and we believe it is now time to bring certainty to a number of lingering issues and restore the dignity of your position in our society.
You will have noticed that the commission is comprised of eminent persons from various specialised fields including some from our own province. We are therefore looking forward to a thoroughgoing and intensive investigation work and lasting solutions on all disputes pertaining to traditional leadership.
We would want to break away from a trend which has seen traditional leadership disputes being subjected to courts which as we all know, with due respect, do not have adequate knowledge of the African customary law governing traditional leadership.
We would, therefore, urge you to give your fullest co-operation to the commission and provide it with the necessary information, documentation and the benefits of your experience.
In the province, two Bills are up for discussion, i.e. Limpopo House of Traditional Leaders Bill and Limpopo Traditional Leadership and Institution Bill. These legislations will be debated by the Legislature during the current session, and we urge Contralesa to take active interest in the debate as these laws are centred around the face and future of traditional leadership in the province, i.e. the establishment of the envisaged District Houses of Traditional Leaders amongst others.
We have been inundated with requests to appoint acting traditional leaders, and the difficulty we have is that there are no standard norms on how this issue should be handled. We note the fact that there is diversity in terms of customs and practices in various traditional authorities. We are of the view that Contralesa should advise on how best we could handle this issue, whether we should get senior members of the royal council or candle wives as people who should act.
The other issue on which we would need to be advised is whether or not we should appoint an acting traditional leader when the incumbent is still alive.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Government has stated its view that the bulk of responsibility for the delivery of services must reside at the level of local government. It is this sphere of government, which is the closest to our communities on the ground and, thus has the duty to deliver such services that directly affect the citizenry in their daily lives.
Water, electricity, roads, sanitation and refuse removal are services that can make an immediate and positive impact on the lives of our people. This is why local government is so important and all of us have a duty to support the relevant structures in performing their functions.
This time next year, our minds will all be occupied with the second nationwide elections for democratic local government structures. In this regard, we are urging Contralesa and the entire membership of the organisation to become intimately involved in this process at a very early stage. We believe that elected government has the responsibility to lead our people. This is the basic principle which guided our decades long struggle for liberation and democracy. It is the cornerstone of our Constitution.
However, we see so many opportunities for close co-operation between elected local structures and the institution of traditional leadership in our province. These opportunities can be multiplied if your members continue to support and participate in these municipalities in their ex-officio capacities.
In this way we can all make an even greater contribution towards quality service delivery, to combat the scourge of poverty and to create employment opportunities, economic development, prosperity and social stability once, again, we would like to thank Contralesa for the visionary leadership provided during the circumcision schools this year. There was a remarkable improvement in terms of cooperation with government, and we are looking forward to similar working relations and engagements with government on matters of common interest.
Chairperson, it is, indeed, a great privilege for us to be with you here today and exchange views and ideas. We trust that we will continue to have a productive and a fruitful relationship and that we all will work very hard within our unique spheres of influence to create a better life for all our people.
We should also, in advance, take this opportunity to congratulate the incoming leadership. They have got an important task to lead structures of Contralesa into the future. We are confident that we will enjoy the same constructive relationship that existed between government and the outgoing leadership.
We wish you fruitful deliberations throughout this conference.
I Thank You.
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Limpopo Provincial Government
22 October 2004
Source: Limpopo Provincial Government (www.limpopo.gov.za)
Title: Moloto: Provincial Conference of Contralesa
SPEAKER'S NOTES FOR MR SELLO MOLOTO, PREMIER OF LIMPOPO DURING THE PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE OF CONTRALESA AT M. J. GATEWAY, Polokwane
Programme director
The Chairperson and Executive Committee of Contralesa
Honourable traditional leaders
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Your conference takes place amidst exciting developments in our country and elsewhere in the continent. We are entering the second decade of democracy with a growing sense of maturity within our administrative and governance structures. The proclamation of Traditional Leadership and Governance Act, Act No: 41 of 2003 clearly define the role of this indigenous institution of our people relative to the three spheres of governance – national, provincial and local.
The system of co-operative governance is being enhanced and the traditional leadership is finding itself a niche position to be able to perform a unique and vital role within the broader administrative framework. At most we are in unison that government, at whatever level, is there to serve the needs and aspirations of our people.
Neither us as elected representatives nor you as traditional leadership should regard ourselves as “rulers” – but rather as “servants” in the broadest sense of the word; that is, we are there to look after the welfare and best interests of the people who have placed their trust in us.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We are sure that you are quite aware of the high premium that this government places on the institution of traditional leadership and the high regard that we have for your contribution to society. At institutional level we see it in the creation of the House of Traditional Leaders and the respective provincial Houses, also in Limpopo. Moreover it remains an important and regular issue on the agenda of the President’s Co-ordinating Council on which all the Premiers serve.
We announced in the State of the Province Address on the 27th of May this year that responsibility for traditional leadership will be moved from the department of Local Government and Housing to the Premier’s Office. This is a clear indication of the high premium that our government places on traditional affairs and your position in our society.
We are pleased to announce today that this process has just been completed. Please be assured that the doors of the Office of the Premier are always open for you. You should not hesitate to approach the office to raise issues of mutual concern.
We should also announce here that we have made a remarkable progress regarding the payment of Headmen. We are currently wrapping up on few outstanding cases and will ensure that they are resolved by the end of this financial year.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The Minister of Provincial and Local Government has recently announced the Commission to investigate and deal with issues of traditional leadership succession and related disputes.
We know that this is an issue that has occupied your minds for a considerable period of time. We need not remind you about the background to this problem. You are well aware of the way in which successive apartheid administrations played loose and fast with the institution of traditional leadership, how differences and disputes were manipulated to suit their short-sighted agendas and how opponents of the homeland system were sidelined or eliminated in favour of more compliant candidates.
The advent of democracy in 1994 brought an end to that immoral apartheid system. This current government holds the institution of traditional leadership in the highest regard and we believe it is now time to bring certainty to a number of lingering issues and restore the dignity of your position in our society.
You will have noticed that the commission is comprised of eminent persons from various specialised fields including some from our own province. We are therefore looking forward to a thoroughgoing and intensive investigation work and lasting solutions on all disputes pertaining to traditional leadership.
We would want to break away from a trend which has seen traditional leadership disputes being subjected to courts which as we all know, with due respect, do not have adequate knowledge of the African customary law governing traditional leadership.
We would, therefore, urge you to give your fullest co-operation to the commission and provide it with the necessary information, documentation and the benefits of your experience.
In the province, two Bills are up for discussion, i.e. Limpopo House of Traditional Leaders Bill and Limpopo Traditional Leadership and Institution Bill. These legislations will be debated by the Legislature during the current session, and we urge Contralesa to take active interest in the debate as these laws are centred around the face and future of traditional leadership in the province, i.e. the establishment of the envisaged District Houses of Traditional Leaders amongst others.
We have been inundated with requests to appoint acting traditional leaders, and the difficulty we have is that there are no standard norms on how this issue should be handled. We note the fact that there is diversity in terms of customs and practices in various traditional authorities. We are of the view that Contralesa should advise on how best we could handle this issue, whether we should get senior members of the royal council or candle wives as people who should act.
The other issue on which we would need to be advised is whether or not we should appoint an acting traditional leader when the incumbent is still alive.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Government has stated its view that the bulk of responsibility for the delivery of services must reside at the level of local government. It is this sphere of government, which is the closest to our communities on the ground and, thus has the duty to deliver such services that directly affect the citizenry in their daily lives.
Water, electricity, roads, sanitation and refuse removal are services that can make an immediate and positive impact on the lives of our people. This is why local government is so important and all of us have a duty to support the relevant structures in performing their functions.
This time next year, our minds will all be occupied with the second nationwide elections for democratic local government structures. In this regard, we are urging Contralesa and the entire membership of the organisation to become intimately involved in this process at a very early stage. We believe that elected government has the responsibility to lead our people. This is the basic principle which guided our decades long struggle for liberation and democracy. It is the cornerstone of our Constitution.
However, we see so many opportunities for close co-operation between elected local structures and the institution of traditional leadership in our province. These opportunities can be multiplied if your members continue to support and participate in these municipalities in their ex-officio capacities.
In this way we can all make an even greater contribution towards quality service delivery, to combat the scourge of poverty and to create employment opportunities, economic development, prosperity and social stability once, again, we would like to thank Contralesa for the visionary leadership provided during the circumcision schools this year. There was a remarkable improvement in terms of cooperation with government, and we are looking forward to similar working relations and engagements with government on matters of common interest.
Chairperson, it is, indeed, a great privilege for us to be with you here today and exchange views and ideas. We trust that we will continue to have a productive and a fruitful relationship and that we all will work very hard within our unique spheres of influence to create a better life for all our people.
We should also, in advance, take this opportunity to congratulate the incoming leadership. They have got an important task to lead structures of Contralesa into the future. We are confident that we will enjoy the same constructive relationship that existed between government and the outgoing leadership.
We wish you fruitful deliberations throughout this conference.
I Thank You.
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Limpopo Provincial Government
22 October 2004
Source: Limpopo Provincial Government (www.limpopo.gov.za)
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