The incompatibility of traditional leadership and democratic experimentation in South Africa
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Date
Authors
Mathonsi, N.
Sithole, Sello
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
African Consortium of Public Administration
Abstract
After a plethora of legislative and policy frameworks have been passed to integrate
traditional leadership system into the modern liberal democratic system in South
Africa, incompatibilities of the two became increasingly evident, especially in
respect of governance. The most protracted challenges of the incompatible
governance systems are located in the local government sphere, especially
in provinces that are predominantly rural with tribal settlements. Traditional
leadership system has been in existence in African communities before imperial
and colonial rule, and it had served good purposes for the wellbeing of citizens.
Whilst it continued during imperialism and colonialism, it gradually took a
form that principally benefited the alien Western ideology. With the attainment
of democracy in South Africa, the traditional leadership system was further
undermined through successive democratic regimes, albeit there was no overt
state intention to demoralise, frustrate and discriminate against traditional
leadership. But their exclusion from the mainstream of governance as well as
encroachment into their selections and inauguration was palatable. Currently,
the role and function of traditional leaders appear to be blurred in the day-to-day
activities of municipalities, resulting in undue contestations of powers, jurisdiction
and responsibility in local government. This article attempts to examine the
reasons underlying incompatibility between the modern democratic system and
the traditional leadership, amidst nationally-acclaimed legislative and policy
framework provisions for their synergy. The article argues that harmonisation
of the two would serve to enhance prospects of achieving good governance for
service delivery tribal ruralities in South Africa.
Description
Keywords
Traditional leadership, Democratic experimentation
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
Mathonsi, N. and Sithole, S. 2017. The incompatibility of traditional leadership and democratic experimentation in South Africa. African Journal of Public Affairs, 9(5): 35-46.