Traditional Leaders in a Democracy
Traditional Leaders in a Democracy

Author: Skosana, Dineo

Publisher: The Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA)

Published: 2019-03-31

Total Pages: 402

ISBN-13: 0639923836

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Post-1994, South Africa's traditional leaders have fought for recognition, and positioned themselves as major players in the South African political landscape. Yet their role in a democracy is contested, with leaders often accused of abusing power, disregarding human rights, expropriating resources and promoting tribalism. Some argue that democracy and traditional leadership are irredeemably opposed and cannot co-exist. Meanwhile, shifts in the political economy of the former bantustans − the introduction of platinum mining in particular − have attracted new interests and conflicts to these areas, with chiefs often designated as custodians of community interests. This edited volume explores how chieftancy is practised, experienced and contested in contemporary South Africa. It includes case studies of how those living under the authority of chiefs, in a modern democracy, negotiate or resist this authority in their respective areas. Chapters in this book are organised around three major sites of contest: leadership, land and law.

Traditional Leadership and Democratisation in Southern Africa
Traditional Leadership and Democratisation in Southern Africa

Author: Sandra Düsing

Publisher: LIT Verlag Münster

Published: 2002

Total Pages: 412

ISBN-13: 9783825850654

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What are the impacts of ethnically based, traditional political institutions on democratic state and nation building in Southern Africa and how do heterogeneous sources of legitimacy affect the prospects of long-term democratic regime consolidation? What are the impacts of "traditionalism" employed for purposes of party-political mobilization? An indicator for the political influence of traditional leadership in Southern Africa is the fact that a considerable number of democratically elected politicians in high office originate from aristocratic families, representing hereditary traditional leadership structures for centuries. This is evident for the charismatic founding president of the new South Africa; Nelson Mandela, as well as for his adversary, the prime minister-in-office, Mangosuthu Buthelezi. The careful reconsideration of this "state behind the state" has been identified as crucial, in this study, to make any realistic assessments of the prospects for sustainable democratization in Southern African countries in the near future.

Decentralized Governance and Accountability
Decentralized Governance and Accountability

Author: Jonathan A. Rodden

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2019-02-28

Total Pages: 313

ISBN-13: 110849790X

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Reviews recent lessons about decentralized governance and implications for future development programs and policies.

Traditional Leadership and Democracy
Traditional Leadership and Democracy

Author: David E. Kayuni

Publisher: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing

Published: 2012-07

Total Pages: 144

ISBN-13: 9783844312881

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Questions persist as to whether African traditional governance and democratic governance are compatible. Existing debate has traditionalists arguing that Africa's traditional chiefs are true representatives of their people, accessible, trustworthy, legitimate and therefore still important to the politics of Africa. Modernists on the other hand regard traditional leadership as chauvinistic, despotic, illegitimate and an irrelevant form of rule in a democracy. A third group argues for a 'mixed government' with modified traditional leadership. This book analyses claims that this leadership oppresses individuals and stifles general democratic participation. The book examines the influence of traditional leadership on people's political choice in electing leaders of democratic Malawi. It concludes that it is the existing interdependent path of survival between traditional leaders and politicians that infringes on freedom of political choice expressed through the right to vote. This undermines democracy. Both traditional leaders and politicians overlook the rights and welfare of the voter in an effort to sustain their authority and material benefit.

South Africa's Troubled Royalty
South Africa's Troubled Royalty

Author: Christina Murray

Publisher:

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 40

ISBN-13:

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This is the text of the sixth Geoffrey Sawer Lecture given by Professor Murray on 7 November 2003, in which she discusses South Africa's controversial attempts to accommodate traditional leaders in its democratic order.

Democracy Compromised
Democracy Compromised

Author: Lungisile Ntsebeza

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 2005-06-01

Total Pages: 336

ISBN-13: 9047407903

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This book argues that the promulgation of the Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework and Communal Land Rights Acts runs the risk of compromising South Africa's democracy. The acts establish traditional councils with land administration powers. These structures are dominated by unelected members.

Traditional Leaders in a Democracy
Traditional Leaders in a Democracy

Author: MISTRA MISTRA

Publisher: African Books Collective

Published: 2019-03-29

Total Pages: 402

ISBN-13: 0639995624

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Post-1994, South Africa's traditional leaders have fought for recognition, and positioned themselves as major players in the South African political landscape. Yet their role in a democracy is contested, with leaders often accused of abusing power, disregarding human rights, expropriating resources and promoting tribalism. Some argue that democracy and traditional leadership are irredeemably opposed and cannot co-exist. Meanwhile, shifts in the political economy of the former bantustans - the introduction of platinum mining in particular - have attracted new interests and conflicts to these areas, with chiefs often designated as custodians of community interests. This edited volume explores how chieftancy is practised, experienced and contested in contemporary South Africa. It includes case studies of how those living under the authority of chiefs, in a modern democracy, negotiate or resist this authority in their respective areas. Chapters in this book are organised around three major sites of contest: leadership, land and law.

State Recognition and Democratization in Sub-Saharan Africa
State Recognition and Democratization in Sub-Saharan Africa

Author: L. Buur

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2007-11-26

Total Pages: 248

ISBN-13: 0230609716

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Being critical and empirically grounded, the book explores the complex, often counter-balancing consequences of the involvement of traditional authority in the wave of democratization and liberal-style state-building that has rolled over sub-Saharan Africa in the past decade.