Theme: "past hardships breed future successes"

Programme director,
Chairperson of the National House of Traditional Leaders, Khosi FP Kutama,
Your Majesties and Royal Highnesses,
Chairpersons and deputy chairpersons of provincial houses of traditional leaders,
Traditional leaders here present,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen:

It is a great privilege for me to be invited to this closing ceremony of the National House of Traditional Leaders (NHTL). I thank you for giving me the honour to address this important institution that serves an integral function in the process of rural development and transformation in our country.

I am informed that since this Lekgotla commenced on Tuesday, the 28th of October you have covered much ground in deliberating on "the role played by the NHTL institution since 1994; you have reviewed the co-ordinating structures of the institution; and also looked at an overarching strategy for co-ordination and alignment of efforts by all stakeholders providing capacity building support to the institution of traditional leadership."

These matters are a mandate of this institution which is to advice us in government on community and rural development and how we can unify the relations between communities, government and traditional leaders.

Programme director,

From time immemorial, izinkosi and dikgosi have discharged their role of preserving and protecting our cultural identity.

As a result, many warriors like Sekhukhune, Faku, Cetshwayo and Ramabulana have fought fearlessly to protect their territories and people from colonial invasion.

Of course, the current challenges facing South Africa are different from those that confronted our forebears, but I believe their determination and commitment to succeed must be applied in our modern society so that we adequately grapple with poverty, underdevelopment and unemployment.

We can learn from their spirit and unwavering determination to inspire us in the daily work we undertake to improve the lives of our people for the better.

The theme for this Lekgotla, which is "past hardships breed future successes" reminds us yet again that we can build on the strengths and weaknesses of the past to build a more effective institution and relationship between government, private sector, traditional leadership and community.

Dear Excellencies,

As government, we believe in strengthening these sustainable partnerships for development in order to ensure that this important institution has the necessary capacity to work optimally towards its noble objectives of:

* promoting community development;
* promoting safe and healthy environments;
* ensuring that a sense of justice prevails;
* dedication to women and youth empowerment; and
* promoting the interests of the most vulnerable.

This explains why government strongly endorses the Constitutional and legislative rights of the NHTL and are firmly behind the capacitation of members of this House.

In this regard, the national programme of support that we have developed will be one of the key instruments through which we seek to help this house implement its aims and obligations to the communities.

Through this programme, our traditional leaders will receive training to ensure their empowerment in dealing with issues that affect their communities.

Already, the Local Government Sector Education Training Authority (SETA) has conducted a skills development assessment for this house and has started rolling-out two training initiatives on community development and local economic development.

Accordingly, we support His Excellency Khosi Kutama when he said at the Local Government Sector Education Training Authority (LGSETA) general meeting, I quote, "the better traditional leaders are those that have capacity and skills, ability to lead the community with an intention of creating an economy within their vicinity, ability to guide the youth on cultural aspects, respectful to human rights especially on women and children".

Programme director,

We welcome this development of a partnership between the house and the (LGSETA), which will ensure that our leaders have the necessary training and skills to practically respond to the challenges on the ground.

Our challenges as a country are enormous and therefore we cannot spare any effort to address poverty and all its negative consequences, especially for the poorest of the poor in rural areas.

Today marks exactly two days after the launch of the draft Anti-Poverty Strategy (Draft APS) framework for dialogue and action which is meant to involve all stakeholders to take the fight against poverty to a higher trajectory.

Essentially as part to this draft framework for dialogue and action, we aim to create economic opportunities for communities, provide necessary information on available opportunities and ensure that our people do access those opportunities.

We will rely on this house to spread the message down to all traditional leaders and communities across the country to support this initiative by ensuring that all people who live in poverty benefit from the interventions that will come as a result of this draft strategy.

Programme director,

This is important because the majority of the poor live in rural areas and under the jurisdiction of our traditional leaders. One of our key focus areas is rural development and agricultural support for families that are poverty-stricken, especially targeting individuals with limited access to economic opportunities.

We have to join hands to restore hope in the social fabric of the family and empower women so that the Anti-Poverty Strategy is efficient in these areas:

* creation of opportunities through jobs or self-employment;
* investment in human capital by providing education and training;
* income security through safety nets for the vulnerable;
* basic services transfer by expanding on access to water, electricity;
* improving healthcare especially for poor children;
* access to assets such as land and capital;
* social inclusion and social capital initiatives;
* environmental sustainability; and
* good governance by facilitating pro-poor policies.

Why is the National House of Traditional Leaders and its members seminal in this fight to create a better life for our people?

This draft strategy will provide a platform for you to assist us acting with all our social partners that include business, non-governmental organisation (NGOs) and Community Based Organisation (CBOs), because you have grounded information about the levels of poverty in your localities and know what needs to be done or not done to deal with poverty and unemployment.

As leaders, we are confident that you will advance this as well as unity amongst yourselves and communities at large.

The law requires that this house strive to unite traditional leaders. This Lekgotla and other platforms through which you interact and reach common consensus symbolise that we can rely on you to act in unison against poverty, unemployment, crime as well as HIV and AIDS.

As leaders in our communities, we urge you to speak out against societal challenges such as crime, teenage pregnancies as well as alcohol and drug abuse.

It is incumbent on all of us to encourage children to focus on as a tool to end intergenerational poverty and the cycle of hopelessness.

We must ensure that education becomes a community issue by encouraging children to take subjects that will help grow our economy so that we make poverty history and overcome the critical skills challenge in South Africa.

Your Excellencies,

I respectfully ask that you join me in wishing well the matriculants and all the children that are sitting for their 2008 exit examinations.

It is time for you to unite the people behind government programmes, especially those that seek to improve their lives for the better.

It is only through partnership that we can succeed.

Programme director with your kind permission,
On another matter, I am happy to note that this house participated enthusiastically in the process of developing the Traditional Courts Bill, which is currently before Parliament.

Once approved, this Bill will go a long way not only in providing direction and jurisdiction for traditional courts, but also in strengthening the criminal justice system.

I have no doubt that through these courts we can go a long way in reducing incidents of crime in our communities. Again, they will play a role in restorative justice while ensuring reconciliation among our people.

Therefore, it is only important that there be a structured way to define the relationship between the traditional courts and the magistrate courts, because there should be a sound relationship between these two institutions.

We believe that traditional leaders and the Department of Justice will continue their good working relationship to ensure that we contribute towards the reduction of overcrowding in our correctional services.

We cannot wait any longer.

Programme director,

The 08 and 09 November has been declared a "voter registration weekend" by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). As government, we call upon you to encourage our people, especially our young citizens to register to vote for forthcoming 2009 general elections.

It is important that we make them understand that apathy will only reverse the gains that we have made so far, and deter our efforts to continue implementing all the plans to make our country a country we can all be proud of.

We must do this work in the spirit of ensuring nation-building and participatory democracy.

In conclusion, we are proud that South Africa is the interim Chair of the Regional House of Traditional Leaders following the establishment of a protocol to that effect, to which we are also a signatory.

This shows our collective determination to play an important role in the development of the region and continent at large.

We are confident that you will represent the country with purpose in this structure.

I thank you.