election of traditional councils
12 November 2007
The MEC for the Department of Local Government and Housing, Candith
Mashego-Dlamini, has met with all traditional leaders in the province to
discuss the reconstitution of the traditional councils in the province. The
meeting follows the department's appointment of an Independent Elections Agency
to conduct elections that will take place before the end of December 2007.
During the meeting traditional leaders were given an opportunity to indicate
how many members they would want to constitute the traditional councils. The
traditional leaders have chosen that the councils must have a total of 30
members, which is the maximum allowed by the regulations for the election of
the 40% of the members of the traditional councils. Traditional leaders have
also been given forms to nominate their 60%, and they are expected to submit
the list to the department by 23 November 2007.
The regulations for the elections of 40% members of the traditional councils
as stipulated in Section 28 of the Mpumalanga Leadership and Governance Act,
2005 published in the Provincial Government Gazette in August 2007, relates to
the process of establishment of 59 traditional councils in the province. The
Act states that 60% of the membership of the traditional councils will be
selected by the traditional leaders whilst 40% will be democratically elected
by the community under the jurisdiction of that traditional leader.
Once the department has received the lists of the 60% members who will form
part of the traditional councils from the traditional leaders, the MEC for
Local Government and Housing will announce the date for the elections.
Enquiries:
Simphiwe Kunene
Cell: 082 413 3931
Issued by: Department of Local Government and Housing, Mpumalanga Provincial
Government
12 November 2007
