Hon Speaker, in a democratic South Africa, we cannot but - at least historically - recognise the Black Authorities Act, No 68 of 1951, as a defining piece of legislation in the relationship between the state and citizens. Internal colonialism such as apartheid left the democratic government with many legacies, and seemingly intractable governance issues to contend with. These include a chaotic and contradicting power structure transmitted in racial hierarchies and tribally arranged local communities, giving birth to deformed racial and tribal identities in South Africa.
While directly the apartheid state denied basic rights to the black majority on racial grounds, in an authoritarian mode it introduced a well- tested colonial project of indirect rule by instituting a customary mode of rule, with state-appointed native authorities amongst Africans thus redefining customs. This state incursion into traditions and cultures of various Africans in South Africa distorted and damaged the established practices of those affected. The institutional legacy of the Black Authorities Act is a colossal social experiment that a single legislative Act cannot wipe away. It is an ongoing project that the democratic state remains committed to. The institutional features of the Black Authorities Act bear themselves out in the configuration of a number of arrangements within postapartheid South Africa. Dislodging and dislocating the apartheid edifice of traditional institutions with all the accompanying distortions and disfigurements is a task that we have commenced with. We will continue with the systematic removal of all the legislative pillars of this system.
Even with the fragmentation and resistance evident in the public response to how this task is carried out or the pace of interventions in restoring the legitimacy of the social organisations of our communities, we take comfort in the unanimity of views that this repeal Bill is a step in the right direction
In calling upon the Parliament of the people to approve this repeal Bill, we commit to reforming the distortions created by the Black Authorities Act and similar measures as they continually foster tension between institutions and between institutions and people. I thank you. [Applause.]