Mashatile boosts partnership with conventional leaders – SABC Information

Deputy President, Paul Mashatile has reaffirmed government’s commitment to strengthening partnerships with traditional leaders, as he chaired a high-level dialogue in Pretoria today.

The engagement, held with the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, brought together senior government officials and ministers to address pressing rural development challenges.

Mashatile, in his capacity as Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Task Team, emphasised the importance of empowering traditional institutions to fulfil their constitutional mandate.

The dialogue focused on five key pillars: advancing land ownership and tenure rights, accelerating socio-economic development, building institutional capacity, promoting social cohesion and nation-building, and finalising critical policy and legislative reforms.

Mashatile praised the role of traditional leaders in preserving cultural heritage and called for their active involvement in shaping inclusive governance and infrastructure investment in rural communities.

VIDEO | Deputy President Mashatile addresses traditional leaders’ dialogue:

The Deputy President stressed the need for collaborative partnerships between government and traditional leaders across all spheres.

“Traditional leaders play an important role in addressing societal issues in our communities. Your influence and authority can help address issues such as sexual offences, gender-based violence, substance abuse, and crime in our communities.”

COGTA minister Velenkosini Hlabisa, highlighted the importance of a collaborative approach between the Presidency, the National House of Traditional, Khoi-San Leaders and his ministry.

“We stand at a crossroad, one path leads to fragmentation and mistrust. The other leads to collaboration, shared vision, and inclusive development. Let this dialogue be the turning point, a moment where government and traditional leadership commit to walking together, not just in ceremony but in substance and strategy.”

The Deputy Chairperson of the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, Nkosi Mavuso, stressed that traditional leaders’ primary responsibility is to drive community development, and they need government support to fulfil this role effectively.

“The support required from government includes but is not limited to financial, human and infrastructural support. Administration cannot be effective if the support from government is merely moral. It is recommended that government, through a current process, that municipalities should support traditional councils.”