President Jacob Zuma has extended the mandate of the Commission on Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims, the Presidency said on Monday.

The commission's mandate, meant to have lapsed on October 31, would now run on until January 31, 2010.

"The commission has yet to finalise its findings and determinations on the first phase of its work, which entails the investigation into the determination of Paramountcies and Paramount Chiefs," said spokesperson Vincent Magwenya in a statement.

He added that a Bill on the amendments to chapter six of the Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act, 2003, was currently before Parliament.

In September, the commission said it requested that its mandate be extended in order to conclude its work.

The commission was appointed by former President Thabo Mbeki in 2003 to investigate the disputes of traditional leaders. Some of them wanted their status to be elevated to that of king.

Its CE Mpho Mokake, at the time, said the commission had dealt with paramount chiefs' positions and that many applications for senior traditional leaders' positions were still outstanding.