Inequality in South Africa in terms of access to education, finance, food security, and public amenities is worse in rural areas under traditional leadership than in urban areas not under the control of traditional leaders. In most of these areas, people live in abject poverty and underdevelopment is rife with no access to economic opportunities, basic services and economic and social infrastructure. This study attempts to ascertain the involvement of traditional leadership in the Local Economic Development (LED) of these areas. It also explores the mandate given to traditional leadership through government legislation, policies and programmes in LED. The study further seeks to suggest through a model how traditional leadership could be involved in LED. This study focuses on the following questions:  What are the fundamental causes of the exclusion of traditional leadership in LED?  What government policies and programmes are in places that explicitly spell out the role of traditional leadership in LED? and  What are the perceptions of traditional leadership implicit in the government’s LED initiatives? The scope of the study covers the uMgungundlovu District which has 24 traditional councils that form the local House of Traditional Leaders. These traditional councils spread across the seven local municipalities that form part of the District. The data was collected using a qualitative research methodology which focused on interviews with government officials and traditional leaders, to get their perceptions on the role of traditional leadership in LED. Government legislation, policies and programmes have also been reviewed to check the official government position on the role of traditional leadership in LED. Engagement with government officials, traditional leaders and government publications reveals that traditional leadership is not playing a role in LED. There are no LED programmes directed to traditional communities that are led by traditional leaders. There is then a justifiable perception that traditional leaders are being deliberately excluded from government LED initiatives. A review of the government legislation, policies and programmes indicates that they do not bar the traditional leaders from playing a role in LED. The constitution of the Republic of South Africa provides a broad framework with regard to the role of traditional leaders by stating that the national government may provide for a role of traditional leadership in matters affecting their communities. The White Paper on Traditional Leadership and Governance recognizes traditional leadership as an institution located in rural areas that has a role to play in the fight against poverty. The Traditional Leadership Governance and Framework Act states that government may provide a role for traditional leaders in respect of economic development. This study provides a model through which traditional leadership could be involved in LED. The model provides for a role to be played by the provincial House of Traditional Leaders, as part of LED policy formulation; a role for the local House of Traditional Leaders as part of LED strategy development; and for a Traditional Council, as part of LED implementation monitoring. Traditional ward’s headmen are envisaged as assisting in coordination and a ward committee, in which traditional leadership is represented, is envisaged as contributing towards evaluation. The study finally recommends that the Provincial Department of Economic Development and Tourism in collaboration with the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs should establish a fund for a LED programme for traditional communities. The study further recommends that the conceptualization of LED programmes should be done in consultation with traditional leadership, and that traditional leadership should lead the implementation of the programme in their respective areas. / Thesis (M.Com.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2012.

The purpose of this study was to examine aspects of rural local governance within the democratic local government system in the Umgungundlovu, Umzinyathi, Uthukela and Amajuba districts of KwaZulu-Natal. This study could feed into the management and policy making systems of the Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs of the Province. It would also inform a practical traditional administration centre model. It also intends to provoke a debate on issues of rural local governance in particular within the democratic local government system in South Africa. The study looked at the evolution of the institution of traditional leadership over the years. Policy issues with regard to the functioning and structuring of traditional leadership institutions in local governance were used as a basis for this discussion. Different items of legislation relating to local government and traditional leadership in South Africa generally and in KwaZulu-Natal in particular were analysed to give insight into the issues of rural local governance. It was found that traditional leaders have always worked hand in hand with government and that the government has and still is making deliberate efforts to keep traditional leadership under its control by paying their salaries and controlling all processes and systems in the functioning of traditional authorities. National and Provincial policies were found to be giving government (both National and Provincial) too much discretionary powers regarding the roles and functions of traditional leaders. The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs (DLGTA) had transformed tribal courts into Traditional Administration Centres (TACs) in line with the government's call to bring government services closer to the people. There are sixty four TACs in the Umgungundlovu, Umzinyathi, Uthukela and Amajuba districts of KwaZulu-Natal. This study reviews the level of functionality of these TACs over a period of 6 months. The activities of all TACs were monitored and recorded daily for the duration of the study. The study revealed that the TACs were generally not being used to their full potential. A combination of well equipped centres coupled with motivated and committed support staff is crucial for the effective functioning of TACs. The study also looked at different community centre models and compared them with the traditional administration centre model to help develop a practical traditional administration centre model. The study further recommends that TACs be linked to the Multipurpose Community Centres (MPCCs) either as extensions or satellites thereof. In terms of ownership, it is recommended that TACs be handed over to the local municipalities in order to ensure proper maintenance and sustainability thereof. As part of rural local governance, the study also investigated synergistic partnerships between the institution of traditional leadership and municipalities. This was done through focus group discussions with government officials, traditional councils, municipal councillors and community members. The focus group discussions also revealed the level of understanding on the roles of traditional councils and municipal councillors by different groupings i.e. government officials, traditional councils, municipal councillors and community members. The study concludes that conflict between traditional leaders and municipal councillors is inevitable and that it is difficult but not impossible to form functional linkages between the two. South Africa has seen remarkable improvements in the transformation of the institution of traditional leadership in terms of composition, functions and legal manifestations. There is a reasonable understanding on the roles of municipal councillors but traditional councils seemed not to be clear about their roles and policy issues in general. Many subjects believed that direct intervention by National and Provincial governments was desirable if sound local governance was to be attained. The study also recommends that agency agreements be entered into between traditional councils and municipalities and between traditional councils and provincial governments to allow traditional councils to perform certain functions on behalf of government departments and municipalities. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.