Madam Deputy Speaker, in our meeting with the Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs soon after his appointment, the APC raised two issues which we believe needed his urgent and sustained attention.
These matters related to traditional leaders, especially the remuneration and provision of certificates for headmen and headwomen, as well as the issues of boundary disputes in Meraphong, Matatiele and Moutse. Since then, the APC is aware that the lack of certificates for some serving traditional leaders persists. The issue of remuneration for some traditional leaders remains unresolved.
The APC makes a strong call for the urgent resolution of these matters, taking into account that they are long-standing and impact negatively on the traditional leaders concerned.
On the boundary disputes, only Meraphong has been successfully resolved, in line with the popular will of the people. The APC understands that in the case of Matatiele and Moutse, a testing of views referendum was held. The APC urges the Minister to make the outcome of these referenda public and use them as a basis for settling these long-simmering boundary disputes. If not, the millions used in these referenda will amount to fruitless and wasteful expenditure. This would be a violation of the Public Finance Management Act.
South Africa has been promised that an era of dialogue and openness has set in. Let this be the experience of the residents of Matatiele and Moutse. The remuneration of some traditional leaders and the settling of boundary issues in Moutse and Matatiele are long overdue. They need urgent resolution. The APC calls for and supports their speedy and undelayed resolution. Thank you.