Just before I set off for my visit to China, there was a report of a meeting of a Traditional Council in the Province. According to the report Inkosi Everson Xolo, who is an ANC member of the national Parliament, and Inkosi Ngamizizwe Madlala, who is an IFP member of the Provincial Parliament complained bitterly about what they saw as usurpation of their authorities in their traditional areas and what they saw as disdain in the manner in which they thought they were treated by Councillors in their areas. I thought this was fascinating because when I have raised the issue of the failure of the government to prevent the obliteration of the powers and functions of Traditional leaders, as a result of the application of the Municipal Structures Act and other related legislation, my views on the matter were misunderstood by some as party political views.

Now that two Traditional leaders from different political parties raised the matter, I felt that I needed to again highlight this very serious political issue. In the Buthelezi Traditional Area very recently the Inkosi's Deputy Phumempini Josias Mtshali has clashed with Councillor Buthelezi over who is in charge of the resources of the area. The Councillor claimed that it was he and not the Inkosi's Deputy and the Traditional Council, who could decide on applications for the mining of the soil which the roadwork people wanted to mine. Obviously this is all due to the lack of clarification of the powers and roles of Traditional Leaders which the President promised to sort out, but appears to have reneged on.

I do not wish that my raising this issue be misunderstood as part of the President-Mbeki-bashing that has become a favourite pastime post POLOKWANE. I have always given President Mbeki credit for governing this Country as its manager since 1994, even when he and I worked under the Presidency of President Mandela. I have raised the issue repeatedly because of concern about his legacy. He promised the Coalition of South African Traditional Leaders that there would be no obliteration of the powers and functions of Traditional Leaders as a result of the implementation of the Municipal Structures Act. He did this both verbally and in writing. He undertook that if such obliteration did in fact take place that he would have the Constitution amended to prevent such obliteration. This was further strengthened in the year 2000 on the 30th November, when a decision was made by a Cabinet Committee led by the then Deputy President Mr Jacob Zuma to the effect that Chapters 7 and 12 of the Constitution needed to be amended to prevent such obliteration of the powers and functions of Traditional Leaders. So on this particular issue I can say that we see a singular lack of leadership on the part of President Thabo Mbeki. To us this is mystifying.

Act No 41 of 2003, The Framework Act on Traditional and Governance Act, and the Provincial legislation Act No 5 of 2005, have not addressed this issue of the obliteration of the powers and functions of Traditional Leaders.

The issue which was raised at the meeting where Amakhosi representing different political parties sang from the same sheet on this matter has again highlighted this issue. There have been complaints by other Traditional Leaders in other parts of the Country on this very issue. President Mbeki is known for his commitment to an African Renaissance and it is ironic that it should be a government presided over by him that should do this to an indigenous African institution. For those of us who still admire what he has tried to do for the Country in spite of his other failings, it is painful to see him blot out his impeccable credentials. If he does nothing to correct this before his retirement there is no doubt that it is bound to be a blot on his presidential record.

And then of course, there is Mr Zuma's record to consider. At an international Conference on Traditional leadership convened in Durban earlier this year, Mr Zuma confirmed when 'yours truly' raised the issue of the solemn promise made on the 30th of November 2000, that Chapters 7 and 12 needed to be amended to prevent the obliteration of the powers and functions of Traditional leaders, that "Comrades" did not want to implement it (the Agreement). I was not sure if the "Comrades" referred to by the President of the ANC was referring to the government or the ruling Party, but I got the point. I read in the media that the President of CONTRALESA, Inkosi Patekile Holomisa, and a delegation have already met the President of the ANC Mr Jacob Zuma on some of these problems.

Dear readers, this issue is symptomatic of a government that too often seeks to sweep issues under the carpet, hoping that at best they will go away or at least wait for another day. The problem is that procrastination worsens problems and ultimately renders them more difficult to resolve. The Citizenry pays a high price for such apathy. And what we find more hurtful is that as the African oppressed people under Colonial and Apartheid Regime we have experienced deception and disdain. It is not what we expect that a black government should continue to bluff and deceive us in the way we were used to, under the Colonial and the Apartheid government. I am all too aware that there is a lot of disdain towards the institution of Traditional leadership generally and that there is an impression that there is little of substance between the ears of Traditional leaders; ignorance flourishes.

I have always tried to avoid conflicts. But when an issue that is often stigmatised as an IFP obsession is taken up by, as I have mentioned, senior Traditional leaders who are members of the ANC, one knows that a serious situation is pending. On this issue we are singing in unison across all political affiliations.

As I have said before, for all the eloquence about an African Renaissance, there has been no such sea change in South Africa. The government at both national and provincial levels, seems to be content to pay lip service to the idea of continuity of African traditions through the institution of Traditional leadership. And they forget that actions speak louder than words. Our government forgets that by constraining the capacity of Amakhosi to serve their Communities, it ultimately curtails the potential of the Communities concerned. As early as 2001, the House of Traditional Leaders in this Province committed themselves in the presence of both the national Minister of Health Dr Mantombazana Tshabalala-Msimang and the then Provincial MEC for Health Dr Zweli Mkhize to tackle the pandemic of HIV/AIDS in our areas. We presented them with teams we had already set up throughout the Province. And yet nothing has happened. And Traditional leaders of South Africa were again convened by the Health Minister in Cape Town early this year to discuss the pandemic of HIV/AIDS. We pointed out that not much can take place. We are itching to be fully involved in doing practical things in combating the pandemic of HIV/AIDS, but our hands are tied. For example, in terms of the Public Finance Management Act of 1999, the Provincial House of Traditional leaders is listed as a Provincial entity.

And yet the Provincial government has, through its MEC for Traditional Affairs, totally refused to have the House listed as an entity in order to have our budget so that we can to be involved in all of these things.

I have dedicated my life to the preservation of Traditional leaders in our rural Communities. I have challenged old Colonial and later Apartheid attitudes on the subject. Paradoxically, it is the democratically elected government that has imposed some of the most serious constraints on Traditional leadership. For whatever remains of my life, I will not rest until these constraints are eased and until our Communities reap the benefits of a thriving institution of Traditional leadership. President Mugabe has been judged on some of his failings, but no one can blame him for the way he has recognised and given a role to Traditional leaders in Zimbabwe.

Yours sincerely,

Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi MP