Chairperson, His Majesty, Prince M M M Zulu, I believe our democratic dispensation does provide traditional leaders with sufficient powers and opportunities to be involved in the drafting of legislation.
Traditional leaders, like any other citizens of South Africa, can draft legislation and request a Member of Parliament to table it as a Private Member's Bill. Alternatively, a traditional leader can request the National House of Traditional Leaders or a provincial house to table a Bill for the relevant Minister or MEC to process.
The Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act goes further than this and makes it obligatory for any Bill that pertains to customary law or customs of traditional communities to be referred by the Secretary to Parliament to the National House of Traditional Leaders for comment. Thus, Parliament cannot pass a Bill dealing with customary law or traditional communities without the National House of Traditional Leaders having had the opportunity to make an input into the Bill.
I firmly believe that traditional leaders have been given an enhanced role in our democracy. As far as the law is concerned, traditional leaders have ex officio representation on municipal councils. They relate to provincial legislatures through provincial houses of traditional leaders and to the national government through the National House of Traditional Leaders. In addition, traditional leaders are consulted regularly by national, provincial and local government on a number of pertinent issues.
We are endeavouring to increase the capacity of traditional leaders through the National Programme of Support for the Institution of Traditional Leadership that was introduced in 2007. The roll-out of the capacity- building programme will commence before the end of this year and will continue throughout 2010. I thank you.
UMntwana M M M ZULU: Sihlalo wakuleNdlu, Phini likaMongameli wezwe, angikwazi ukukusho lokhu, ngikusho ngenxa yokungabi nalo ulwazi lokuthi kuhamba kanjani. Ngiyakubonga okushiwo yiPhini likaMongameli, njengendoda eyafundiswa ngogogo ukuhlonipha, kufuneka ngihlale ngikuhlonipha lokho.
Kodwa kuyiqiniso elimsulwa elingephikiswe phambi kukaNkulunkulu ukuthi yonke imithetho eshaywayo eqondene namaKhosi, ishaywa yithina osopolitiki. Akuwona amaKhosi okuhlalwa nawo phansi kuxoxiswane ukuthi kungasetshenzwa kanjani ndawonye. Ngisho ngoba nginolwazi lokuthi kuyenzeka. Kumanje imithetho ekhona ethinta ubukhosi, amakhosi akhulume ngezwi elilodwa onke. Kodwa Phini likaMongameli angiboni ukuthi thina njengosombusazwe sicishe sifike lapho amakhosi acabanga afike khona.
USIHLALO WOMKHANDLU KAZWELONKE WEZIFUNDAZWE: Nginethemba lokuthi uMntwana ubebeka umbono nje, ubengabuzi umbuzo wokulandelela odabeni. Kodwa ke ukuchaza kancane njengoSihlalo Womkhandlu Kazwelonke Wezifundazwe. Inqubo iyasho ukuthi omunye nomunye umthethosivivinywa oza kuleNdlu kufanele siwuthumele eziNdlini zamakhosi zonke, zezifundazwe kanye nale enkulu kazwelonke bakwazi ukuthi bahlabahlabe nabo, bese bebuyisela kithina sicubungule lokhu abakuhlabile, sithathe lokhu esikuthathayo, lokho nina eningakuthathi ningamakomidi ningakuthathi. Ihamba kanjalo inqubo. Kufuneka- ke uma ngabe asiyilandeli, siyilandelisise impela. Bengithi angikuchaze lokho, ngoba imigomo yethu isho njalo. Ngiyabonga. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[Prince M M M ZULU: Hon Chairperson and hon Deputy President of the country, I cannot say this. Hence, I am only saying this because there seems to be a lack of knowledge on how this should be done. I appreciate what has been said by the Deputy President, since as a man who was taught respect by my grandmothers, I should always respect that.
But the simple truth is that it cannot be disputed before God that all these Bills that are being passed with regard to the chiefs are passed by us as politicians. The chiefs themselves are included in the discussions on how we can work together. I am saying this because I know that it is happening. With regard to the current legislation pertaining to chieftainship, all the chiefs spoke with one voice. But, hon Deputy President, I don't think that as politicians we come close to the chiefs' level of thinking.