The Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Obed Bapela has congratulated the Motsepe Foundation for organising a workshop to partner with traditional leaders on matters of economic sustainability.
The workshop theme is "Partnering With Our Traditional Leaders And Communities For Economic And Financial Sustainability And Self-Reliance" to be held on Thursday, 6 August 2015 at Emperor's Palace.
“This is an important workshop that will bring together kings, traditional leaders and various stakeholders committed with the focus for development of traditional communities in South Africa. It is the first of its kind initiative by the private sector to be able to bring together traditional leaders to discuss economic and social sustainability in the traditional communities” Said Bapela.
The Deputy Minister will deliver a keynote address at the workshop, which is in line with the plans of the Department to bring together all traditional leaders to deliberate on their communities' economic and financial development. The strategic focus of Traditional Affairs would be outlined in the pillars of the department that speaks to economic and financial sustainability: Promotion of socio-economic development to ensure better life for people living in rural and traditional communities.
The Deputy Minister during his presentation of the Budget Vote at the National Assembly on 14 May 2015, emphasised the importance of traditional communities self-sustainability and development.
The Deputy Minister said "We further commend and recognise the good work that traditional leaders are doing to advance socio-economic development in their communities. There are those traditional leaders who use land for advancing economic development within their communities".
The Deputy Minister further stated that "Traditional leadership have heeded the call from the President’s State of the Nation Address (SoNA) to grow the economy and create jobs to better the lives of all South Africans, in this regard there are several examples of traditional leaders who have projects to uplift their communities."
The Deputy Minister also wishes to encourage the private sector to join hands with government and traditional leaders in addressing the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment, and inequalities in these communities.
