, led by Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency David Mabuza){kind=link}
South Africa: The Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC), led by Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency David Mabuza, has embarked on a visit to the Free State province as part of the broader IMC programme to engage with Traditional leadership throughout the length and breadth of our country.
Accompanied by Free State Premier, Sisi Ntombela, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Mr Mcebisi Skwatsha, Deputy Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mr Obed Bapela and Director General of the Free State Provincial Government, Mr Kopung Ralikontsane, today 25 August 2022, Deputy President Mabuza in his capacity as the Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee, has convened a dialogue with Traditional Leaders in Bloemfontein; at the centre of Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality.
The engagement with traditional leaders is a platform for robust deliberation on a wide range of issues affecting the standing and leadership role of traditional leaders in development and service delivery. The engagement will also locate the role of Traditional leadership in fostering partnerships between the provincial government and traditional leadership institutions in the province to ensure that the quality of life of traditional communities is improved.
“Traditional leaders are a vital cog in our democratic governance system across all spheres of government. They remain central to the tasks of building safe and cohesive communities and ensuring that our history, culture, languages, and heritage are celebrated and preserved for generations to come,” Deputy President David Mabuza addressed Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders in the province.
Deputy President added, “In the face of social ills confronting our communities, traditional leaders have an essential leadership role to play in working with the government to deepen a culture of human rights for all.”
Addressing Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, Premier Sisi Ntombela had this to say:
“As custodians of culture and tradition, traditional leaders should be directly involved in the observing of important cultural events in the Free State, including MACUFE and Heritage Day. The involvement of traditional leaders in such programmes should not only be for entertainment and celebration, but it should also be meaningful and economically beneficial to rural communities.
