Traditional leaders in the Eastern Cape want to have the constitution reviewed before the general elections in order to recognise and restore the powers and functions of traditional leaders.
The call was made by Contralesa and the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders (ECHTL) at the traditional leaders’ summit at the Mpekweni Beach Resort on Thursday.
“We want the constitution to be reviewed before the 2019 general elections, not after the elections,” said Nkosi Mwelo Nonkonyana, who chairs both Contralesa and the ECHTL.
Nonkonyana said SA should have a constitution that recognised and restored the powers and functions of traditional leaders.
“This will also make traditional institutions strong.
“It is unfair and an injustice to capacitate municipalities and ignore traditional councils and rural communities.
“Chapter 7 and Chapter 12 of the constitution must be amended.
“We agreed with the ANC last year that the constitution will be amended before the coming elections,” said Nkosi Nonkonyana.
He said traditional leaders should not only be remembered during elections but must also form part of the development machine in the rural areas.
He called on the government to afford the same treatment it gave to municipal councils to traditional councils.
This included provision of infrastructure, furniture and staff to 241 traditional councils in the Eastern Cape.
“The government has done very little for traditional councils and local traditional houses,” said Nonkonyana.
The traditional leaders also complained of poor remuneration compared to elected ministers, MECs, mayors and even ward committee members.
“We’re paid peanuts. This is ridiculous.
“Even ward committee members are paid, but our sub-headmen work for nothing, they do not even get a stipend,” said Nonkonyana.
Traditional leaders also called for budgets to be allocated to every traditional council.
Cogta MEC Fikile Xasa said the summit was aimed at promoting the participation of traditional leadership institutions in governance and developmental issues...