PRESENTATION TO PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM

WORKSHOP

DATE: 08 JUNE 2013VENUE: OLD CHAMBER PARLIAMENT

CAPE TOWN

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TRADITIONAL LEADERS PERSPECTIVE ON RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM

1. INTRODUCTIONThe National House of Traditional Leaders takes this opportunity to express gratitude to the Portfolio Committee on Rural Development and Land Reform as well as other Portfolio Committee in the cluster for inviting the NHTL to participate in this very important workshop the livelihood of rural communities.

This shows the importance that parliament attaches to structures established in terms of the constitution. NHTL is among other structures well poised to raise issues on living conditions in the rural areas and the effect of government efforts and programs on the lives of people in these areas.

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NHTL believes that the perspective of Traditional Leaders hereby expressed through the National House of Traditional Leaders will help indentify gaps and recommends solution as well as to record good progress being made where unnecessary.

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2. IMPRESSIONS ON RURAL DEVELOPMENT

NHTL regards the concept of rural development as an integrated focus of government which is geared towards uplifting the living conditions in rural areas. This stems from the fact that these areas were neglected by apartheid governments. It cannot therefore be confined to one department. Rural Development means the total transformation of rural areas in all areas of life be it municipal services, education, health services, social and many other services that are central to human existence.

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In the view of the NHTL, rural development calls for all spheres government, National, Provincial and Local to work closely together and prioritise. The role of the Traditional Council in the equation is important because it is an important partner when driving the processes for rural development from identification of needs through all the stages up to implementation, the Traditional Council should be fully involved.

This calls for a closer cooperation between municipalities and Traditional Councils because it is at this level that everything is happening. A tussle between municipal council and Traditional Council over maybe allocation and use of land or priority on projects will delay development.

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Rural Development is also about personal advancement of individual members of the community to understand their right and obligations (capacity building) This could be achieved through raising the levels of literacy and other campaigns aimed at improving the understanding of how government and state institutions work. This will enable rural people to engage parliament when dealing with bills affecting them. At the moment the contribution of rural people on policy and legislation is minimal because of the level of personal development.

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3. IMPRESSIONS ON DEVELOPMENT PROGRESS

Since 1994 the country has made remarkable progress in many areas of life at the rural people. Water, electricity and many other social amenities have been provided including schools and hospitals.

It is also worth noting that there are still those rural areas which have seen little or not change at all. These areas are still without clean water being forced to drink water from unhygienic sources.In some cases infrastructure may be provided but will last only for a short time due to shoddy workmanship on the part of the service provider or due to vandalism by community members.

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We must all of us try very hard to instil the sense of ownership of public properties in our communities.

Despite these challenges the NHTL is of the opinion that the country is on the right track. We need only to consolidate our efforts is the same direction.

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4. PERSPECTIVE ON LAND REFORM.

The program on land reform is very important to Traditional Leaders and rural communities because their lives revolve around land.

NHTL commends government for reopening claims on land as this gives rural communities an added chance to reclaim their lost land.

The withdrawal of CLARA was a serious drawback on the part of rural communities and the NHTL is looking forward to development of communal land tenure reform policy and the resultant legislation.

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Legislation which will move entirely from communal ownership and administration of communal land will have little support from most of rural people.

On restituted land, government should strengthen its support and monitoring of emerging farmers and land owners.

NHTL once more is thankful for this opportunity to interact with parliament.

END

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