Traditional leaders air grievances to Cogta
Members of the KZN Provincial House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders pointed out issues ranging from administrative, development of rural communities, landless chiefs, remuneration of the chiefs and back pay of Izinduna.
The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders led by chairperson, Inkosi Rubert Sifiso Shinga, of Umzumbe recently raised issues they are faced with during a meeting with the KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi.
Members of the KZN Provincial House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders pointed out issues ranging from administrative, development of rural communities, landless chiefs, remuneration of the chiefs, back pay of Izinduna (headmen) and the payment of secretaries of the traditional courts, among others.
These concerns were raised when MEC Sithole-Moloi handed over cellphones to Amakhosi in an effort to attend to the matters that are limiting the functionality of traditional houses.
In responding to the issues raised by the provincial house of traditional leaders, MEC Sithole-Moloi said the Department of Cogta had already started paying Izinduna, saying that the process would continue until all the funds had been disbursed.
Sithole-Moloi added that there is a need to rehabilitate Traditional Administrative Centres that were destroyed by the recent floods that overwhelmed the province.
“The issue of support staff to the local houses will be attended to by following government laws that guide the employment of support staff set by the Department of Public Services and Administration. On issues related to land community projects and development, the department will liaise with sister departments to find ways to assist traditional leaders,” she said.
She added that the department has a capacity-building directorate and will consider the skills required by Amakhosi to provide appropriate training, saying that the vision is to move away from issues of support and instead address issues related to community development and intervention that can help their communities.
Sithole-Moloi said she appreciated the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders for raising the issues they are faced with and assured the house that the department will commit to addressing them.
She emphasised the need for continued collaboration between the department and traditional leaders to improve service delivery and promote the well-being of communities.
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