President Cyril Ramaphosa: Annual Opening of National House of Traditional and Khoi-San leaders

Chairperson of the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, Kgosi Seatlholo: Rapulana!
Deputy Chairperson of the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, Nkosi Langa Mavuso: Ah! Zwelidumile
Your Majesties, Kings and Queens,
Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Ms Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane,
Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Thoko Didiza,
Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mr Velenkosini Hlabisa,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Premiers,
Chairpersons and Deputy Chairpersons of Provincial Houses of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders,
The President and Deputy Presidents of Contralesa and Rolesa,
Chairperson of the National Khoi-San Council, Mr Cecil le Fleur,
Members of the Commission on Khoi-San Matters,
Leaders of political parties,
Representatives of Chapter 9 Institutions,
Directors-General and officials,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
 
It is an honour and a privilege to address the first opening of the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders under the Government of National Unity. 
 
As traditional leaders – izingonyama zethu – you owe your positions to your bloodline. 
 
You are representatives of your forebears and leaders of your people. 
 
History has assigned you your positions and responsibilities. 
 
You are vital to the progress of our country and the development of its people.
 
Traditional leaders support the administration of many of our rural and peri-urban communities. 
 
These are communities that bear the brunt of poverty, inequality and underdevelopment.
 
They are increasingly bearing the brunt of the devastating impacts of climate change. 
 
The recent floods in parts of KwaZulu-Natal have led to loss of life, damage to farming land, and the destruction of property and infrastructure. 
 
Our thoughts and prayers are with all the affected communities. 
 
I want to use this opportunity to call on you as Amakhosi to work with the disaster management response teams in our provinces, and support the work that is being done to protect our rural communities against extreme weather. 
 
One of the ongoing campaigns by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs for example is to discourage people from building houses in low-lying areas and near major water sources. 
 
Let me take this opportunity to strongly condemn the rise in killings of traditional leaders. That is an affront to our nation. 
 
Already, this year, in Mpumalanga, Contralesa NEC member and Chairperson of the Ndzundza-Fene Traditional Council, Kosi Thugwana was assassinated at Tweefontein near KwaMhlanga.
 
Even one killing is one too many.
 
On behalf of government, I pass our deepest condolences to the families for the loss of their loved ones and to you for the loss of your colleagues. 
 
Be assured that our law enforcement agencies are working around the clock to ensure that the perpetrators of these heinous crime are brought to book. 
 
As representatives of different communities, your voices should not and must not be silenced by criminals with hidden agendas. 
 
In the recent State of the Nation Address, I made a call for us to speak of the nation we want.
 
I said that we should speak of the work we must do – and the work we are doing – to build that nation. 
 
As I did during the State of the Nation Address, I reiterate our commitment as government to work with traditional and Khoi-San leaders to build this nation.
 
Under your leadership and wisdom, we worked together to overcome apartheid, a crime against humanity. 
 
Together, we brought peace and democracy to our country.
 
As we prepare for the National Dialogue, in which South Africans are called upon to chart a new path for our country, we will rely on your guidance to rally our people towards a future of shared prosperity and inclusivity.
 
We seek a National Dialogue that involves all sections of society, all formations and all citizens. It must be a space where the voices of all South Africans are heard and where they can come together to forge a shared vision and a common programme of action.
 
This conversation must involve people living in rural areas. It must reach every corner of the country, every town, village, farm and homestead.
 
It will be important that traditional leaders and the communities they lead participate in the National Dialogue so that the process produces a plan that reflects the interests and aspirations of everyone.
 
The Medium Term Development Plan that we have adopted as the Government of National Unity intends to advance three strategic priorities: 
 
Firstly, to drive inclusive growth and job creation. 
 
Secondly, to reduce poverty and tackle the high cost of living. 
 
Thirdly, to build a capable, ethical and developmental state. 
 
We seek to be a nation at work, a nation driven by hope and a shared belief in our ability to thrive even in the face of adversity. 
 
This requires bold leadership and collaboration, especially with the institution of traditional and Khoi-San leadership. 
 
The democratic and traditional governance systems need to work in an integrated manner that ultimately serves the needs of the people.
 
To give effect to this commitment, we are undertaking an extensive consultation to review the White Paper on Local Government to outline a modern and fit-for-purpose local government system. 
 
The Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs is coordinating this process and is already putting mechanisms in place to ensure that Amakhosi participate in the review.
 
I have mandated the Deputy President to facilitate a dialogue with Amakhosi that will be a valuable platform for engagement in line with the founding purpose of the Inter-Ministerial Task Team on Traditional Leadership Matters. 
 
The Deputy President has formally communicated with the newly appointed convenors regarding their responsibilities as part of this collective to address matters of concern to the institution of traditional and Khoi-San leadership. 
 
Following the Constitutional Court ruling which declared the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act unconstitutional, concrete steps have been taken to ensure that a Bill can be reintroduced in Parliament.
 
The institution of traditional and Khoi-San leadership is urged to participate in the consultation processes that have ensued. 
 
The finalisation of this piece of legislation has particular significance for Khoi-San communities because for the first time in history it makes provision for the recognition of Khoi-San leaders and communities. 
 
As we affirm the role of traditional leadership, we need to restore the standing and integrity of our traditional cultural practices.
 
The deaths and injuries that result from customary initiation practices, especially in the Eastern Cape, remain a matter of serious concern. 
 
The Minister of COGTA has convened a series of focused engagements with Kings, selected Chapter 9 Institutions, senior traditional leaders, headmen and the Eastern Cape provincial government. 
 
These engagements should mobilise all the relevant stakeholders to work together to end initiation deaths.
 
Government has gazetted Customary Initiation Act regulations for public comment.
 
I have been advised that work towards the development of draft regulations on the fees charged in customary initiation schools is also at an advanced stage.
 
This is an important development if we are to address the commercialisation and abuse of customary initiation. 
 
We are also concerned about traditional leadership disputes. 
 
We should continue to invest in the development of genealogies and customary laws of succession. 
 
I am pleased to note that the Department of Traditional Affairs has to date helped 16 royal families to develop their customary laws of succession. 
 
We call on Amakhosi to be more involved in the fight against gender-based violence and femicide. 
 
We appreciate the programmes that the House is implementing to fight this scourge. 
 
Amakhosi should not allow anyone to abuse women and children claiming that this is permissible in African culture. 
 
We know that such violence is not part of any culture.
 
Violence against women and children is not part of the nation we want to build.
 
Your Majesties,
 
In keeping with our culture of cooperation and the spirit of the Freedom Charter, adopted 70 years ago at the Congress of the People, we are committed to the vision of a country in which the land is shared among those who work it.
 
The passage into law of the Expropriation Act is part of our determination that the land issue will be addressed in our lifetime. 
 
Government is continuing with the work that we have previously discussed with the House regarding the important matter of communal land tenure. 
 
The Department of Land Reform and Rural Development has completed its work on the Communal Land Tenure Bill and will now engage in public consultations. 
 
We are pleased that the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development has announced the next intake of young people in the National Rural Youth Service Corps – or NARYSEC. 
 
This programme is an important part of the work underway to tackle youth unemployment and to foster development in rural areas. 
 
I encourage the House to work with government and encourage young people in traditional communities to take up this opportunity. 
 
We are a nation that is founded on meaningful dialogue and fruitful engagement. 
 
I am pleased that the Forum of South Africa’s Majesties has been launched, with His Majesty King Makhosonke II elected as the Chairperson. 
 
We now have a platform to serve as an interface with Kings, Queens and Principal Traditional Leaders as a collective. 
 
I have been advised that steps have already been taken to similarly create a platform for our Queens and look forward to its establishment.
 
Government is working hard to support economic growth in rural communities, and one of ways in which we are doing this is through infrastructure development.
 
The Welisizwe Rural Bridges programme connects rural communities with each other and with vital facilities and services. 
 
Forty bridges have now been completed. 
 
Heritage tourism is an area of economic activity in our rural areas that has great potential, and which government is supporting. 
 
We therefore welcome the recognition of the Great Place of Mqhekezweni as a World Heritage Site. 
 
The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has developed a concept document to
guide the stakeholders in the process of identification, documentation and recognition of Great Places as heritage sites. 
 
It is critical that rural communities benefit more from our country’s natural wealth.
 
Having noted the concerns of Amakhosi about inadequate mining benefits to their communities, we have in our previous engagements encouraged partnerships between the House and the Ministry of Mineral Resources. 
 
As part of taking this forward, the House has engaged with the Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources and these engagements were followed by the House being invited to and participating in the recent Mining Indaba. 
 
Let us build on the networks established through the Indaba and continue to cement this relationship for the benefit of traditional communities.
 
This year, the meeting of the G20 group of countries will take place on African soil for the first time. 
 
We call on Amakhosi to harness this opportunity to showcase our diverse cultural traditions and natural splendour.
 
One of the most important instruments for growth and development in any country is the national budget.
 
Amakhosi would know that the presentation of the Budget Speech by the Minister of Finance was postponed last week. 
 
The decision to postpone the Budget Speech was to allow more time for discussion on areas in the budget on which there was not agreement.
 
This is the first time that the Government of National Unity – consisting of 10 different parties – has produced the national budget. It should be expected that there would be different views and approaches.
 
In the interests of consensus-building, we are undertaking further discussions so that we can arrive at a budget that everyone can have confidence in – a budget that promotes inclusive growth, supports job creation and that tackles poverty and inequality.
 
Even as we have many challenges, we know that through cooperation and partnership, we can build a better South Africa in which all enjoy equal opportunity and can lead lives of dignity.
 
As the Government of National Unity I once again call on Amakhosi to join hands with us as we embark on a new, glorious future for South Africa and its people.
 
Morena boloka setjhaba sa rona. May God bless our nation.
 
I thank you.

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