Premier Sisi Ntombela: Opening of the 2nd Ordinary Session of the 5th House of the Free State House of Traditional Leaders,

Ke hoa madume, ke a dumedisa

Our Constitution, which brought to an end decades of apartheid and centuries of colonial occupation and humiliation, recognises the institution, status and role of traditional leadership in a democratic society. It envisages traditional leadership as an integral part of a South African nation that is united in its diversity. It sees traditional leadership as an instrument of development and progress, dedicated to improving the lives of the people of this country.

During the month of October 2018, the Free State Provincial Government held a mammoth task of the inauguration of Morena e Moholo wa Bakwena, Morena e Moholo Moremoholo Motebang Mopeli.

The Free State Provincial Government shall continue to provide the necessary support to traditional leadership as part of its legislative mandate.

During the State of the Province Address, I made a commitment to provide Marena with all the necessary tools of trade to enable them to perform their work. I am proud to announce that today Morena e Moholo Moremoholo Motebang Mopeli will be provided with the vehicle fit for Kings.

This year also marks the 2nd year of existence of the 5th term of the House which was inaugurated in August 2017 in line with the fifth term of office of the National House of Traditional Leaders. I have taken note that the membership of the House is balanced in terms of youth and gender, which is a positive indication of investment and development in future leadership.

Chairperson, I am also proud about the sufficient female representation in the composition of the Free State House of Traditional Leaders, and of the delegation to the National House of Traditional Leaders.

I encourage all female traditional leaders to emulate the great past and present female traditional leaders like bo Nkgono Manthatisi, Nkgono Mantsopa and Mama Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.

The Free State Provincial and Local Houses of Traditional Leaders Act, Act No 7 of 2017, which came into operation on the 30th March 2018 makes provision for the establishment of Local Houses in a district municipal area in which there exists more than one traditional councils.

The Act also makes provision for conferment of powers to a traditional council that only exists in a district or metropolitan municipality to perform the functions of a local house of traditional leaders.

I urge the House to monitor and ensure that the provisions of all applicable traditional leadership legislation are fully implemented for the benefit of traditional communities.

The Traditional and Khoisan Leadership Bill has completed all the parliamentary processes and is ready to be signed into legislation by the President.

Once enacted into legislation, the Act will make provision for the establishment of the Commission on recognition of Khoisan leadership and the subsequent recognition of Khoisan leadership. The Act will also make provision for the reconstitution of traditional councils.

The Customary Initiations Bill is with the NCOP and will be rolled over for tabling in the next administration. Once the Customary Initiations Bill is signed into law, it will confer the total administration of initiations to Provincial Houses of Traditional Leaders

The Traditional Courts Bill has been adopted by the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services. Once the Traditional Courts Bill is enacted, Traditional Courts shall be responsible to promote the following:

• Healing the wounds and creating a safer environment

• Repairs the harm

• Promotes nation building

• Encourages family values

• Promote unity in the community

Traditional leaders will in terms of Section 81 of the Municipal Structures Act participate in Municipal Councils of Mangaung, Maluti a Phofung and Phumelela.

The Fifth House of Traditional Leaders in its inception undertook a trip to Rwanda in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture as part of its continental and international engagements with traditional leadership. The trip was characterised by learning of good practices that can be utilised to the benefit of traditional communities in the province.

In implementing the good practices learnt from Rwanda, the Department of Agriculture has started working with two traditional communities of Kgolokoe and Barolong boo Seleka. Kgolokoe Traditional Council has identified eighteen (18) needy families as beneficiaries of one family, one cow and twenty chickens project.

The Traditional Council  has also been provided with three million rand (R3m) for implementing the project. Fencing and irrigation installations at homes of identified families are in the process in preparation for the final implementation of the project.

The Barolong boo Seleka Traditional Council has been allocated an amount of four million rand (R4m) for implementation of poverty alleviation project that would see a total of one thousand five hundred (1 500) identified needy families provided with garden equipment, seed, fencing, irrigation and twenty (20) chickens per family. Other families will be identified for fodder and vegetable production.

This is in line with the governments promise to work with traditional leaders to significantly expand agriculture to ensure food security and to create jobs, to build partnerships with traditional leaders to tackle the challenge of youth unemployment.

In monitoring of the project, I have employed the former Chairperson of the Free State House of Traditional Leaders, Morena Lelika Moloi on a contract basis to oversee the implementation and ensure its success.

I would like to thank Senior Traditional leaders for pledging land within their areas for agrarian revolution purposes as requested by the National House of Traditional Leaders.

This is the very first step towards the unfolding of a complete agrarian revolution program. Once all the systems are in place, teams consisting of marena and related stakeholders shall be established to manage the project. All land identified shall be safely secured and sufficient agricultural material including irrigation be provided.

The Free State Provincial Government appreciates the effort of promotion of youth empowerment in traditional communities, by the House in partnership with the National Youth Development Agency.

The fact that outreach and empowerment programs in all the five traditional communities have been held from 2016 to 2019 is commendable. We are eager for the next step of empowerment of youth in traditional communities, which is to provide accredited training to youth in the following categories:

• Entrepreneurship Development Program;

• Life Skills; and

• Job Preparedness.

The first task is to accelerate inclusive economic growth and create jobs.

• Among the areas where we want to see greater focus is on investment in the rural economy, particularly in agriculture and agro-processing, mining, tourism and infrastructure.

• It is for this reason, that in designating special economic zones, government sought to include areas that are outside the main urban centres, such as the Maluti a Phofung SEZ.

• Government commits to work with traditional leaders to significantly expand the amount of arable land available for agricultural production, both for food security and to create job opportunities.

The second task that is identified is to improve the education system and develop the skills that we need now and into the future.

• We are looking to traditional leaders to assist in the huge task of achieving universal enrolment in early childhood development, which is particularly challenging in rural areas.

The third task identified was to improve the conditions of life for all South Africans, especially the poor

• We applaud the role that traditional leaders have played in promoting awareness about HIV and TB and encouraging people to get tested and to seek treatment.

• We also applaud the role that traditional leaders have been playing in confronting gender based violence.

• We look to traditional leaders to work with government and communities to find solutions to the needless death of young males during initiation schools.

• Traditional leaders must be an essential part of the effort to fight corruption in government institutions including municipalities and to inculcate a sense of moral responsibility, social cohesion and accountability across society.

The fifth task identified is to strengthen the capacity of the state to address the needs of the people.

• It means closer cooperation between traditional authorities and local government structures in implementing integrated development plans.

In aligning with the President’s promise, the Free State Provincial Government undertakes to capacitate the institution of traditional leadership in the province with all the necessary support it needs to carry out its Constitutional mandate.

The House, through its Traditions, Customs and Culture Committee intervened in cross border initiations schools established illegally in Fezile Dabi District Municipality by residents of Sedibeng District Municipality from the Gauteng province.

The intervention by the House managed to reduce the mushroomed numbers of illegal initiation schools that contribute to injuries and death of initiates. The Committee also monitored the running of Initiation in Xhariep and Thabo Mofutsanyane District Municipalities where there was also border crossing problems.

Things went well on both districts during summer initiation season – December 2018/2019.