Question NW3377 to the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs

Reply:

1. (a) and (b)

Traditional Leaders are involved in various development programs as part of job creation and improving the socio-economic well-being of their communities. The following are examples:

• Empangisweni Traditional Community: INKOSI ZONDO
• Stock farming – in Nguni cattle. The project has resulted in the capacitation of many black farmers.
• Soil utilization – particularly maize. This project has resulted in the employment of many locals and their capacitation.

• Dzumeri Traditional Community: HOSI DZUMERI
• Hosi Dzumeri awarded 50 wheelchairs to needy men, women children, not only from Dzumeri, but even other neighboring communities as well.
• Hosi has committed himself to increasing the number to over 100.
• Bakgatla Ba Kgafela Traditional Community: KGOSI PILANE
• Mining – has resulted in the employment of many locals and the development of the area.
• Mphebatho Museum – a major tourist attraction and a source of employment.
• Clothing factory – has resulted in the employment of many locals. It supplies major clothing retailers (e.g. Truworths ) with raw material.
• Farming – include goat farming. The aim with the project is to utilise available resources and land to make available employment opportunities to the community.
• Hospitality industry – to advance job creation and sustainable economic development.
• Moruleng Shopping Centre – the state of the art shopping center is a major source of employment for the community in Moruleng.
  • Road construction: The TC through its development wing constructed a road (tar road)

2. (a)(i)

Ehlanzeni District Municipality

The support provided by the District Municipality to nine (9) traditional leaders participating in Municipal Councils includes, sitting allowances and the provision of communication tools. All traditional leaders within the district are provided with financial assistance towards holding of traditional/cultural ceremonies (Immemo).The special designated seating arrangements for royalty in the council chambers and joint formal procession with the speaker into the chamber during council meetings are some of the protocol matters that are highly appreciated within the traditional institution.

Meetings that precede council meetings are held regularly between the district municipality speaker and the traditional leaders participating in municipal councils. Traditional leaders also participate in an IDP forum constituted by all mayors from local and the district municipalities in the region which focuses on development and other service delivery issues.

3. (a)(ii)

Gert Sibande District Municipality

The support provided by the District Municipality to seven (7) Traditional Leaders participating in Municipal Councils includes, sitting and cell phone allowances and other communication tools as well as office accommodation and office furniture. Traditional leaders have been enrolled on a training programme for leadership development by the district at the University of Zululand.

All traditional leaders within the district are also provided with financial assistance towards holding of traditional/cultural ceremonies (Immemo).Traditional leaders are part of the mayoral imbizo which is held annually. There is also an IDP forum constituted by traditional leaders and all mayors from local and the district municipalities in the region which focuses on development and other service delivery matters.

b) Other Provinces

In KwaZulu-Natal Province in the ILembe District and its local municipalities of Ndwedwe, Maphumulo, Mandeni and KwaDukuza, the strengthening of participation of traditional leadership in Municipal Councils proceedings is commendable. The Provincial CoGTA traditional leaders are not only attending meetings of full municipal council, but the municipalities have allocated seats for traditional leaders in Portfolio Committees of Municipal Councils. This enables traditional leaders to deliberate on policy matters.

Furthermore, the following effective partnerships with the traditional communities focusing on cooperatives, health and welfare, education, enterprise development, supply chain focusing on local procurement have been established in both Limpopo and North West within the platinum belt:

In Limpopo Province, R27 million has been invested in building a school, which is yet to be handed to the traditional community in Magadimana-Ntweng Traditional Council in Serafa Village within the Greater Tubatse Municipality. Traditional communities in Mapela, Ga-Chaba, Gamolekana, Phofola, Rooibok Sterkfontein in Mokopane are benefiting R39, 8 million agriculture projects. A market has been created for these flourishing projects. These farms supply their produce to the informal sector, local fruit and vegetable retailers and wholesalers including fresh produce markets. These projects are run by community structures supported by the traditional leaders and external capability to ensure high level of effectiveness and productivity.

Working with both Kgoshikgolo Thulare Thulare and Kgoshikgolo KK Sekhukhune and various other community leaders the ARM Broad Based Empowerment Trust built the Mampuru Thulare Primary School for R2.3 million in 2010. The school, which is currently being attended by approximately 700 pupils, has 8 classrooms and 6 ablution blocks and has been a positive catalyst for development in the area with children from the area now spared the hardship of walking long distances to school every day.

In 2014 the Trust spent a further R1.4 million on renovations and building a nutritional centre at the school. The Limpopo Rural Upliftment Trust has also been hard at work providing water to communities around the province. The Trust has spent approximately R1.2 million drilling and equipping 18 boreholes in the province. The boreholes now supply clean drinking water to these communities

In North West Province a SEDA Platinum project of glass beads jewelry has been established. The required machinery has been purchased and the cooperative members have been trained. At the moment, about R2,3 million is invested for this project. The second project is a craft hub called Tsakane Arts Cooperative. This project targets the youth and provides an opportunity for them to further explore the skills in arts and crafts and to have sustainable source of income. Almost R4.1 million has been invested in this project. Almost 7 people who were farming pigs on a casual subsistence basis have been assisted through the partnership by commercializing the farms into income generating activity at a higher scale. Almost R3.4 million has been spent to upgrade infrastructure, training for farmers on business development, product quality control, marketing and administration.

Anglo Platinum has agreed to appoint a professional videographer to capture all the projects to promote sustainable development and self-reliance in rural communities.

In the Eastern Cape Province R12 million to date has been distributed to the Eastern Cape Rural Upliftment Trust.Two new child care centers, the Kwathamsana Child Care Centre and the Zanci Child Care Centre were built in the Mqanduli area in the Eastern Cape to the value of R1.7 million. The Zanci Child Centre which was proposed by Nkosi Phatekile Holomisa benefits approximately 160 infants from the Zanci Village.

At the Ntabakandoda Secondary School, located in the Ngcamngeni Village the Trust built a soup kitchen at a cost of R200 000. The kitchen caters for 500 students and [will] cater for children from the Ntabakandoda School as well as primary school and pre-school children within the village.The Trust has spent a further R4.5 million building and renovating schools throughout the province.

Agriculture has also been a key focus for the trust in the Eastern Cape. The Manguzela Crop Production Project, in the Matatiele area, received in excess of R800 000 for farming equipment and supplies for crop production.

The Mpumalanga/ Northern Cape Rural Upliftment Trust has received approximately R7.3 million to date. In Mpumalanga, the Ipopeng Agricultural and Chicken Project received a total of R790 000 for the vegetable garden and for chicken farming. A tractor, a plough, a diesel cart, a trailer and a ploughing disc have been bought for the vegetable garden. Members of the community have been able to benefit from this project as poor families identified by the tribal council are able to receive vegetables and or chickens free of charge from the project. In addition the ARM Broad-Based Economic Empowerment Trust drilled and equipped 7 boreholes in various communities in the Ekhangala district.

The Mamathlake Vegetable Project has also been a great success having been developed in 2012 by the Trust at a cost of R780 000.The Trust’s projects in Mpumalanga also include the provision of water to the Xanthia High School in Thulamahashe, the Ngungunyane High School in Bushbuckridge, and the JP Khoza Primary School in Thulamahashe at a total cost of R198 000.

In the Northern Cape the African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) Broad Based Economic Empowerment Trust renovated and erected fencing around the Ikageng High School in John Taolo Gaetsewe and funded the purchase of 100 bicycles for learners from various schools in the area. In Kuruman a vegetable and chicken project for the Batlhaping Ba- Ga Phetlhu has been allocated R974 000.

In addition to the projects of the ARM Broad-Based Empowerment Trust R 736 million has been spent by ARM’s operations through Local Economic Development and Social Labor Plans in the preceding 5 years. The Trust continues to be committed to working with our local community leaders, government, church groups, trade unions, women and youth groups to develop sustainable projects that will improve the living conditions and standards of living of all our people.

Since inception, the ARM Broad Based Economic Empowerment Trust has distributed a total of R120 million to its beneficiaries for projects in education, health, water, enterprise development, farming, agriculture and rural development initiatives throughout South Africa.

Five provincial rural development trusts led by trustees who are key leaders in their respective communities and provinces were created for the purpose of uplifting and benefiting rural communities. The partnership between community leaders and the Trust assists in identifying the needs of the communities to ensure that projects undertaken by the provincial trusts have maximum impact in the upliftment and development of communities.

Traditional leaders, especially kingships have had partnerships with the Motsepe Foundation and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. The Department of Traditional affairs will be engaging the Motsepe Foundation, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to extend and establish partnership relations as they operate within our sector. Furthermore, the DTA will also try to synchronize the work that other stakeholders are doing within the traditional communities to ensure effective and efficient service delivery and desired impact.