Hundreds of traditional leaders and monarchs from Africa and the rest of the world recently met in Durban to discuss ways of catapulting the institution of traditional leadership into the global arena and ensure that it takes its rightful place in the world’s multilateral forums such as the United Nations, African Union and Southern African Development Community (SADC The First International Conference on Global Perspective on Traditional and Indigenous Leadership organised under the auspices of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, was attended by kings, queens, traditional leaders, academics, researchers, experts on issues of traditional leadership and democracy, non-governmental organisations (NGO), community-based organisations (CBO), government ministers, members of parliament, chief executive officers, and government officials responsible for traditional leaders from the continent of Africa and other parts of the world. The conference was aligned with President Mbeki’s African Renaissance vision, which seeks to ensure Africa’s elevation to the centre stage of global affairs in all spheres of life. The conference itself provided a platform for traditional leaders to share experiences and establish forums of engagement so that this critical organ of governance (traditional leadership) can be elevated into its rightful place.

 By tradition

According to KwaZulu-Natal Premier SJ Ndebele, who spoke at the recent International Conference on Traditional Leadership held in Durban, traditional leaders play a vital role in the social cohesion and general development of our communities  As Government, we have given full recognition to the institution of Amakhosi through a number of statutes, says Ndebele. The primary aim of this recognition is the realisation on the part of government that we have a developmental province and therefore traditional leaders need to be recognised in law so that they can carry out their duties, knowing fully well that they are empowered by the law to do so. Ndebele believes that because traditional leaders belong to one of the oldest forms of governance, their collective strength and expertise must be harnessed for them to help make a noticeable impact on underdevelopment and poverty. While our country has achieved a lot over the past 13 years, we still nevertheless face a number of challenges, Ndebele says. Chief among these is the issue of crime. Because as a country we have proven that there is no challenge that is insurmountable, we believe that this is challenge that needs our collective effort. In this regard, traditional leaders also have a big role to play.

While our government has come up with a number of strategies to fight this challenge, we believe that, over and above other strategies we have adopted to combat this challenge, we need to engage traditional leaders and communities and work with them to reduce the prevalence of stolen goods in circulation. When President Mbeki addressed the national House of Traditional Leaders in February this year, he outlined the stance of South Africa's democratic government toward traditional leadership.We should work in partnership to erase that which is ugly and repulsive in human society and together speak of the freedom and happiness that come with liberty,Mbeki said. œClearly, it is impossible to achieve all this without the full participation, as an integral and responsible component part of our system of governance, of an institution of traditional leadership that is strong, sufficiently resourced and has the necessary capacity to discharge its mandate; an institution that works for development in partnership with the rest of government, civil society and communities; an institution that relentlessly promotes the values of ubuntu and in every way helps to deepen our democracy and expand the access of our people to its benefits.

The post-colonial debate

Post-colonial society has seen substantial attempts to redress the problems created by colonial rule. Several contentious issues have subsequently arisen, including the role of the traditional institution in a democratic state, the legitimacy of institutions and communities, legal entities versus cultures and traditions and the perpetuation of interference versus the desire for transformation.One school of thought views the institution of traditional/indigenous leadership as inherently undemocratic and without any place in an open democratic society. Here the emphasis tends to fall on the hereditary nature of traditional leadership, lack of representation of youth and women and a perception that the institution stifles any form of political, social and economic development.A different school of thought sees democracy as a system in which the institution of traditional/indigenous leadership can flourish. Here it is argued that the institution is not static and cannot afford to be. The institution has to take advantage of the democratic apparatus to further its own cause. In the Atlantic, a vibrant structure for traditional leaders is in existence along those lines “ the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs (APCFNC).Ndebele points out that in Africa, moves are afoot to form a united African indigenous/traditional leader's forum under the banner of the Continental House of Traditional Leaders of Africa (COHTLA) or under the name Continental Union of African Traditional Leaders. Such a body would aim to persuade traditional leaders to participate in a process of conflict resolution and foster good governance in Africa as well as economic development.It is proposed that such an organ be positioned within the institutional framework of the African Union (AU) or possibly within the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad). The AU has created a platform and a sustainable environment where the voices of the masses can be heard.If the efforts succeed, this will create space for traditional institutions to occupy a meaningful role in democratic states. Most importantly, it will ensure that traditional leaders are able to influence decisions taken at multilateral forums' level,says Ndebele. œThis will happen, we are convinced, without negating the contributions and the roles that elected representatives play within the same space. The role of women in the institution of traditional/indigenous leadership remains one of the issues that this institution should discuss frankly and with an open mind.It is encouraging that certain African countries have opted to include women in traditional institutions. In South Africa, a third of Traditional Council members must be women. In Southern Ghana, women are included in nearly all paramount chieftaincies as queen mothers. These women, who are not necessarily the mothers of the chiefs, have the right to nominate and even impeach chiefs. Queen mothers advise chiefs and also act as moral leaders in the community. However, while these women are represented at the grassroots level of the House of Chiefs, they are not yet in the regional and national House of Chiefs.The main obstacle in Africa to women occupying leadership positions in traditional institutions seems to be custom and culture. In countries like South Africa and Zimbabwe, women can only be regents. Botswana seems to be the only country in southern Africa to have crossed the Rubicon after appointing Kgosi Mosadi Sebotto as the first woman Paramount Chief through a process conducted according to custom and tradition. Kgosi Mosadi Sebotto was also elected President of Botswana's House of Chiefs.In the world, the role of traditional leaders is still very important in all aspects, as they lead in taking decisions on all matters that affect their communities,says Ndebele.

Traditional leaders are more and more realising that they should not only play a role of signing permits for conglomerates to extract natural wealth within their communities, but also their communities should benefit from the business transactions.Ndebele cites the Royal Bafokeng in South Africa as an example of a traditional community that has managed to utilise its natural wealth to benefit its community. Research funded by the International Development Research Council (IDRC) has found that in Botswana, Ghana and South Africa, traditional leaders remain, for a variety of reasons, important to the design and implementation of development regardless of whether or not traditional leaders have statutory jurisdiction granted by the post-colonial state.

Bevan Frank

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