A comparative analysis : contestation of two systems of political representation : Isphakanyiswa and Ngcolosi traditional communities.

Abstract

Governance requires the support of different ‘categories’ of stakeholders. One such ‘category’ is comprised by the traditional leaders, who are potentially significant players in the implementation of governmental policies and services, within the contemporary democratic South Africa. As such, they represent a community that is potentially able to contribute to the shape and the implementation of the government’s policies and service plans within their local communities. Their possible role, however, has continued to be limited by both, certain sectors of the government as well as the public. This ‘limitation’ comes in the form of challenge on the capability of traditional leaders in conducting policy implementation within a democratic system and on the legitimacy of the leaders, especially the non-elected traditional leaders – isiPhakanyiswa, regarding tradition leaders and the system as mundane, “old fashioned”, and archaic, thus meant to be done away with the relics of the past society. Local communities also tend to question the legitimacy of the traditional leaders. Thus, two is contesting views are created based on the ability of traditional leaders or institutions to contribute to the promotion of good governance and the role of the government and its personnel in carrying out its services. This study explores this contestation by showing the role played by traditional leaders, both elected and non-elected, in contributing and promoting the government’s services in their local communities, probing the embedded assumptions about their inability to play such a role in a democratic society. The study looked at two local government areas, Ngcolosi and Kholwa -Ntumeni in eThekwini Municipality and uThungulu District Municipality, who have elected and non-elected traditional leaders, respectively.