The Forgotten Roles and Importance of Traditional Leaders in Rural Communities: Does the Government Still Care?
Keywords:
Traditional Leadership; Rural Communities; Municipality; Public Participation; Governance; Post-Apartheid; Transformational Leadership Theory
Abstract
The traditional leadership in South Africa is an imperative body historically and politically. Nevertheless, throughout the years their significance wrangled debates and thus not everybody concurs or sees them as role players. Given these, intensive research has been conducted on the parts and functions of traditional leadership in South Africa. With various legislations such as the White Paper to provide for the existence of traditional leadership. This paper, in this manner, points out the overlooked roles and functions of the traditional authorities and forecasts how the government has placed a blind eye on the traditional authorities. To showcase the views of traditional leaders in the rural areas and to highlight the conceivable ways for the government to incorporate the traditional authority within the governance forms in today’s life and show the strength of transformation of traditional leaders through the Transformational leadership theory.
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Du Plessis, W. (1999). The role and future of traditional leaders in South Africa. Traditional Authorities Research Group1. Faculty of Law Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education. Koers 64(2 & 3] 1999:295-324.
Dubazane, M. & Nel, V. (2016). The relationship of traditional leaders and the municipal council concerning land use management in Nkandla local municipality. Indilinga – African journal of Indigenous knowledge systems Vol 15 (3) 2016.
Hoehne, M.V. (2008). Traditional Authorities and Local Government in Southern Sudan. Ph.D. Candidate, Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology, Halle/Saale, Germany.
Kest, R. (2007). Transformational Leadership and its Outcomes in a Local Government. Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Applied Management and Decision Sciences Walden University.
Khonou, S.F. (2009). Traditional leadership and independent bantustans of South Africa: some milestones of transformative constitutionalism beyond apartheid. P.E.R. 2009 VOLUME 12 No 4. ISSN 1727-3781.
Koenane, M.L.J. (2017): The role and significance of traditional leadership in the governance of modern democratic South Africa, Africa Review, DOI: 10.1080/09744053.2017.1399563.
Leedy, P.D. and Ormond, J.E. (2005). Practical Research - Planning and Design. 5th ed. United States of America: Pearson Education.
Lesia, L.E. (2011). Public Participation in Local Government In South Africa: A Case Study On Decision Making In Street Naming In Kwamashu Township Of The ethekwini Municipality, University of KwaZulu – Natal, Howard College Campus, Durban.
Mashele, P. (2004). Traditional Leadership in South Africa's New Democracy. Review of African Political Economy, Jun. 2004, Vol. 31, No. 100, Two Cheers? South African Democracy's First Decade (Jun. 2004), pp. 349-354. Taylor & Francis, Ltd. Https://www.jstor.org/stable/4006897.
Mashumba, N., & Mindzie, M. A. (2009). Navigating the Challenges: Opportunities and Challenges for Co-existence between Traditional Leaders and Local Government Authorities in Promoting Democratic Participation. In conflict transformation and peacebuilding in Southern Africa: civil society, governments, and traditional leaders (pp. 26–29). Centre for Conflict Resolution. Http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep05154.11.
Mathonsi, N. & Sithole, S. (2017). The incompatibility of traditional leadership and democratic experimentation in South Africa. African Journal of Public Affairs. Volume 9 number 5.
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Mdlalose, M. (2016). Assessing the state of public participation and service delivery: the case of Maphumulo local municipality, A dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Public Administration, College of Law and Management Studies.
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Ngcobo, M.M. (2016). The role of traditional leaders in a democratic South Africa: looking back to the past and the present: the case of rural development in Ndwedwe local municipality. [online]researchspace.ukzn.ac.za.Available at:https://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10413/15244/Ngcobo_Mduduzi_M_2016.pdf?Sequence=1&msclkid=167818bcbb3411ec8179004bdd882914 [Accessed 07/02/22].
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Ntonzima. L. & Bayaat, M.S. (2012). The role of traditional leaders in South Africa - a relic of the past, or a contemporary reality? Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review (OMAN Chapter) Vol. 1, No.6; January 2012.
Nxumalo, F.T. (2012). TRADITIONAL LEADERSHIP IN LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: A CASE STUDY OF THE UMGUNGUNDLOVU DISTRICT. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Commerce in Leadership Studies (LED Specialization) Graduate School of Business and Leadership College of Law and Management Studies. UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL.
Philip.T(2020). Traditional leadership and governance in contemporary South Africa. Anthropology 8: 217.DOI-10.35248/2332- 0915.20.8.217.
Ragolane, M., & Malatji, T. L. (2021). Lack of public participation and good governance, who is fooling who? Technium Social Sciences Journal, 26(1), 32–44. Https://doi.org/10.47577/tssj.v26i1.5088.
Rapatsa, M. (2015). Traditional Leadership and Democratic Governance: Using Leadership Theories to Calibrate Administrative Compatibility. Acta Universitatis Danubius. Administration, Vol 7, No 2 (2015).
Shai, K.S. (2017). Leadership and governance in service delivery at the greater tubatse municipality, Limpopo province, South Africa. Submitted in fulfillment for the degree MAGISTER ADMINISTRATION IS in Public Administration In the School of Public Management and Administration Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the University of Pretoria.
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Published
2023-04-13
How to Cite
M, R., & T L, M. (2023). The Forgotten Roles and Importance of Traditional Leaders in Rural Communities: Does the Government Still Care?. International Journal of Social Science Research and Review, 6(4), 356-369. https://doi.org/10.47814/ijssrr.v6i4.1172
Section
Main Articles
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