Address by Premier of the North West province Mme BEE Molewa, official opening of the House of Traditional Leaders

Chairperson of the Provincial House, Kgosi Mabe
Deputy Chairperson, Kgosi Mankuroane
Chairpersons of Local House, Kgosi Shole and Kgosi Matlapeng
Deputy Chairpersons of Local Houses, Kgosi Lentswe and Kgosi Nawa
Judge President, Mogweng Mogweng
Judge Herbert Hendler and Mrs Hendler
Representatives from the National House
Representatives of all provincial houses
Members of the Executive Council
Kgosi Letlamoreng (the second) from Botswana
Members of Parliament
Representatives of Local Municipalities
Mohumagadi Gopane, the interim Chairperson of Bahumagadi Forum
Representatives from the Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA)
Dikgosi tsa gaetsho tsotlhe
Bahumagadi le boMmadikgosi
Bagaetsho botlhe

I am very pleased to have this opportunity once more to address this noble institution of our Dikgosi, the North West House of Traditional Leaders. Thank you for inviting me once more to address the seventh official opening of this House.

Let me congratulate the Members on your newly renovated chamber. It is starting to be a chamber befitting your status. The work you do in this chamber needs a welcoming and comfortable environment and this is what this newly renovated chamber provides.

Allow me Chairperson to begin by first acknowledging the presence among us of representatives from the National House of Traditional Leaders as well as Amakhosi and Dikgosi le Bahumagadi from other Provincial Houses of Traditional Leaders. Let me also acknowledge the presence of Kgosi Letlamoreng (the second) from Botswana. Let me also acknowledge the newly recognised Dikgosi, Kgosi Maubane (acting on his brother's behalf who is fulltime in the National House and Kgosi Maimane.

As we officially open this esteemed House, our hearts and thoughts are also directed to those of our traditional leaders' families and communities who lost their loved ones and leaders during the year. I refer here specifically to the departed Kgosi Moiloa of Dinokana, Kgosi Lekoko of Barolong bo Mariba and Kgosi Sedumedi of Lotlhakeng and others.

I would also like to wish Kgosi Makapan quick recovery from his ill health and welcome back Kgosi Motsatsi (advisor) who was hospitalised for some time.

I have also been officially informed that Kgosi Kenny Molete of Bakolobeng kwa Maloka (Ganlaagte) will be handing over the reins to his son. We want to wish him well in his retirement. I also want to make a special request to him to be available to mentor and guide the incoming generation of Dikgosi.

"Kgosi, o re rutile gore letlhaku le leswa lo agelelwa mo go le legologolo."
Chairperson, we need to organise a special occasion to pay tribute to Kgosi Molete. Kana mogologolo o rile "kgaka ntsho e fofa mebala re e bona e sule." Ka jalo re seka ra tloga ra mmoka a sa tlhole a re utlwa. We know the hard times he went through. Recently, we nearly lost him when his house burned down. We thank God that his life and that of his family were saved.

Every year the official opening of the house of traditional leaders marks the commencement of the important work that is carried out by this house.

We are reminded every year, at the opening of this house, about the rewards and gains made through the successful co-existence of democracy and African customs through this house.

As a result of the fundamental decision that was made by our democratic government in establishing this institution, our cultural inheritance remains protected and our values of Ubuntu remain relevant, even in our fast civilising society.

By legitimising traditional leadership even in the ambit of our democracy, our government has long sent a clear message: That the important role that is played by Dikgosi in our country, particularly in our rural communities, remains unchanging and paramount in our developmental state.

By recognising traditional leadership, many of the key African pre-colonial constructs of governance in our communities are kept steadfast and relevant.

As the custodians of the age-old values and traditions of our people, the House of Traditional Leaders continues to make a very important contribution towards the process of deepening democracy in our country.

As history beckons, the ancient African philosophy and practices of governance were indeed visionary, participatory and involving people through dipitso, dikgoro, matsema and other forms, which were able to bring communities together.

Today still, many developmental challenges which we face require the wisdom and contribution of Dikgosi in our system of governance, as the interface of communication and the improved delivery of services to the rural poor.

In this regard, traditional leaders are able to contribute in a meaningful and decisive way, to the growth and development of our people, helping government to improve our relationships with our rural communities.

It is for this reason that we remain relentless as government, in our efforts to implement our training programmes for Dikgosi, which seek to enhance their role of improving access to services at local government level.

The capacity of Dikgosi therefore remains a major objective priority, if we are to make head-way in our plans to progressively move away from the depravity of our past and the isolation.

I therefore proudly announce that the Comprehensive National Program of Support for Dikgosi will be piloted in the province. My Office has already signed and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Local Government SETA in this regard. The service providers for the first two modules, Local Economic Development and Community Development have been appointed. The program will commence on or about June 2008.

Disputes of Bogosi are still a critical challenge facing government and the House. Recently, one Kgosi jokingly said to me, "maybe we should pray that Dikgosi should not pass on because we only experience these disputes when they join their ancestors."

This morning, Judge Hendler presented to me a report on one of the disputes that has characterised the institution in the recent past. I want to assure this House that we will move with speed to implement the recommendations the Commission has made. We hope and believe that the recommendations made will go a long way in stabilising and bringing stability and development in the said community.

It still remains critical that the House of Traditional Leaders plays a critical role in resolving any disputes about chieftaincy and traditional leadership.

The implementation of the Provincial Traditional Leadership and Governance has revealed that the act requires further refinement, especially with regard to issues of the efficient resolution of these disputes.
The House has already made its submission on these amendments and a process must be put on motion to effect these amendments. We will also be publishing the regulations on the above act.

Our interest as government in this regard still remains to be that of seeing to it that the affairs and welfare of traditional communities are well and properly attended to.

In his message of support to this House last year, Prince Ncqamase of the Eastern Cape warned that we should not just budget for the support of Dikgosi but we should spend the money. Let me thank the Prince for that advice and inform his majesty that we did not disappoint him. We have spent almost 94 percent of the allocated budget targeted for the support of the institution.

These funds were used as follows:
* Payments of sitting allowances for traditional councillors. I know that there have been some delays in the payments. We are currently working within the office to find better ways of improving the system.
* Money was allocated to the renovation of this chamber. These funds were used to buy chairs and install the communication system before you.
* Funds were spent in improvement of the working environment of the councils. We bought furniture and other goods.
* We provided grants to all traditional councils for the day to day running of their work.
* We spent funds on the infrastructure improvement. Government committed itself that it would build four traditional council offices. I am told three offices have been completed, these are, Baphiring ba ga Mabalane, Baphuting ba ga Nawa and Bakwena ba Ramokoka. Batlhaping ba Phuduhucwana is still under construction and will be completed soon. Planning has already commenced for other targeted offices.

The provincial government is also aware of the challenges relating to the well being of Dikgosi and their families and members of traditional councils. The engagements with the Commission for the remuneration of public office bearers (Moseneke Commission) were completed and a report submitted to the State President.

The provincial government is also concerned about this matter. In this regard we will be placing two discussion documents before the North West Premier's Co-ordination Council (NWPCC) and this House this year:-
* Recently the National Government has finalised a State funeral policy and this will assist us to develop a provincial policy with municipalities which will include Dikgosi.
* A proposal to establish a Royal Trust. The Trust will be used as a vehicle to empower traditional leaders and their families in various fields, such as education.

In his speech at the 2008 official opening of the National House of Traditional Leaders, President Mbeki stated that:

"The challenge for traditional leaders is that they now should assume an active role in the newly reconstituted Councils and newly established Local Houses to ensure that their communities participate meaningfully in development and service delivery initiatives as these are the vehicle for development and service delivery in traditional communities through co-operative partnerships."

Furthermore, President Mbeki also committed government to the following:-
* Ensuring the establishment of all the institutions provided for in the law, and through which traditional leaders should perform their public duties.
* Ensuring the provision of adequate resources and infrastructure to enable these institutions to function effectively.
* Managing the assignment, by numerous State organs, of the statutory functions set out in the law, and builds the capacity of traditional leaders so that they are able to perform those and other functions.
* Ensuring that administrative support is provided to the Houses of Traditional Leaders and Traditional Councils in order to improve governance, performance and accountability. In this regard, let me acknowledge your submission of the organogram which was made by the House. I have handed your proposal to the Director General who will work on the technical part of it. We intend to implement the proposals which we will agree with you on as soon we have funding.
* Develop and implement a comprehensive skills development programme for traditional leadership.
* Co-ordinate the involvement of our traditional leadership in intergovernmental matters and in development initiatives.
* Align the strategic plans and budgets of government and those of the institution.
* Together with you, develop mechanisms aimed at facilitating the evaluation of the performance of traditional leadership and other organs of state working closely with the institution.

The tone that has been set by the President when he articulated these imperatives, categorically applies to all stakeholders at provincial level in ensuring that the House of Traditional Leaders continues to grow from strength to strength with every year.

There is indeed no doubt, that the role that can be played by Dikgosi in our developmental state is critical, as traditional councils remain a critical catalyst to make local government work better for our people.

Chairperson, I must call upon your members and Dikgosi and Bahumagadi that as custodians of cultural values and customs, you occupy strategic positions in our society to provide leadership in restoring morality and Botho in our communities. We cannot afford to allow what happened in Pella to continue. We need as traditional leaders to be at the forefront to fight against these foreign behaviour of people attacking others because they regard them as foreigners. In our culture we know that Matlo go swa mabapi. E bile motho ga a iphetse, motho ke motho ka ba bangwe. This House must continue to promote sound moral values and ethical practices, assisting government to promote social cohesion and fight against crime, xenophobia, racism, and diseases such as HIV and AIDS.

We can therefore confidently proclaim today as we mark this official opening, that this House is recognised as the conduit of service delivery, the voice and interface between democratic governance traditions and the age-old African customs of governance of our people.

There is much truth in the expression that we cannot go into our future with confidence, if we do not know where we come from and if we do not hold on to the customs and African traditions of governance of our forbearers.

This house ensures that the voices of our people in remote areas are heard and that they feel connected to the evolutionary process of development in our country.

The "Business Unusual" 24 APEX of Priorities that were announced by the President in his State of the Nation Address, need to become equally relevant to this House where relevant and where its contribution is required.

We must also emphasise the imperatives of strengthening relations between the House of Traditional Leaders, Municipalities and South African Local Government Association (SALGA) for the purpose of improving service delivery.

Government's commitment remains steadfast in its efforts to strengthen this House, and the institution as a whole to continue to advance the interests and development of our communities.

The continued transformation of the institution of traditional leadership remains a critical priority as we navigate the turbulent seas of our developmental state in rural communities.

Let us embrace this year with a renewed sense of vigour to work even harder towards the goals we have set for this 2008.

Issued by: Office of the Premier, North West Provincial Government
16 May 2008