2. Mbeki wants chiefs represented in AU
Source: Business Day (2003-10-09)
PRESIDENT Thabo Mbeki said yesterday that he planned to lobby the African Union (AU) to set up a continent-wide house of traditional leaders, who were overlooked during its establishment.
The move signals a fundamental shift in the African National Congress (ANC)-led government's approach towards the institutions of traditional leadership and their role.
It was widely believed that the ANC was hostile towards traditional leadership and probably planned to phase out the institution. Congress of Traditional Leaders of SA (Contralesa) president Chief Patekile Holomisa welcomed the move, saying cabinet has finally come to terms with the political reality in Africa.
He said although people appreciated democracy, they still expected it to accommodate their traditional leadership.
"They have now truly endorsed the president's African Renaissance concept by (agreeing) to work with traditional institutions of African leadership, which hold the foundation of people's existence," he said.
Government undertook to refer the proposal for the setting up of a continent-wide house of traditional leaders to the AU chairman, Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano.
This would be in line with Mbeki's undertaking not to tamper with the powers of traditional leaders, promising even to amend the constitution to appease them.
Government said if discussions on the White Paper and Framework Bill on functions of traditional leaders pointed "to the need to amend the constitution, this would be considered".
Contralesa had rejected several such drafts that planned to make elected community leaders politically and administratively stronger than the chiefs.
Mbeki has even undertaken personally to "facilitate the provision of better infrastructure for the efficient functioning" of the house of traditional leadership.
Cabinet has also undertaken to devise mechanisms to involve the house of traditional leadership in the creation of programmes for rural development and the Expanded Public Works Programme.
Mbeki has also promised to have regular briefings with the traditional leaders.
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