Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Bill [B23-2015]

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Submissions are now closed (since 09 December 2016)

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs

The Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs will be holding public hearings on the Traditional and Khoi-San Bill from 24 November until 09 December 2016, starting in Northern Cape and followed by the Western and Eastern Cape provinces. Public hearings in the remaining provinces will resume in 2017 when Parliament reopens.

The Bill, which provides for among other things, statutory recognition of the legitimate Khoi-San leadership and communities, has been in the legislative pipeline since 1997. Committee Chairperson Mr Richard Mdakane believes the time is now ripe to solicit public input and finalise this critical piece of legislation.

One reason for the delay, according to Mr Mdakane, was the need to develop specific criteria to ensure that only legitimate Khoi-San communities and leaders are recognised. These have now been stipulated in the Bill and Mr Mdakane does not foresee any further challenges with this issue.   

The Bill also provides for integrating recognised Khoi-San leaders into existing houses of traditional leadership and doing away with separate structures for the Khoi-San. These will then be called houses of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders. 

The recognition provisions contained in the Bill do not elevate the Khoi-San communities and leaders to a higher status than other traditional communities and leaders or grant any special status to them. Instead recognised Khoi-San traditional leaders will, in respect of their recognised communities, perform the same functions as the currently recognised senior traditional leaders. This is to avoid a potentially divisive hierarchy among South African communities as occurred under the colonial and apartheid regimes. 

Furthermore, the Bill makes provision for a comprehensive Code of Conduct for all recognised traditional leaders, from the National House, provincial houses and local houses of traditional and Khoi-San leaders, to kingship or queenship councils, principal traditional councils, traditional councils, traditional sub-councils, and Khoi-San councils and branches.

Find here:  Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Bill [B23-2015]
                   Draft Programme of the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs

For Public hearings' dates and enquiries please contact Mr Temba Gubula on tel (021) 403 8307 or cell 078 735 8809 / 081 402 3531
by no later than Friday, 9 December 2016.

Email: [email protected]

Issued by Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mr Richard Mdakane