Revisiting the participation of traditional leaders in municipal councils in South Africa

Mathenjwa, Mbuzeni; Makama, Porsche

doi:10.4314/ldd.v20i1.11

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…This leads to unclear working relations between the traditional authorities and the local government structures. Contrary to the case in South Africa where the Local Government Law makes provision for the representation and participation of Chiefs at the Municipal Council (Mathenjwa and Makama, 2016), the legal framework for the those who live in the rural areas, still look up to the Chief for leadership. However, the position of Chiefs in Ghana's decentralization process is nebulous and some of the Chiefs feel isolated from government business resulting in conflicts between the Chiefs and local government officials at the grassroots (Ahwoi, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Ghana’s decentralized governance system: the role of Chiefs

Honyenuga

Wutoh²

2019

IJPL

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the extent to which Chiefs are involved in Ghana’s decentralization process and assess the benefits and challenges associated with the formal inclusion of Chiefs in local governance in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach The study applied a qualitative inductive approach and employed interviews and focus group discussions to gather data from selected traditional areas within the Volta Region of Ghana. Findings The findings reveal conflicting roles being performed by Chiefs and local government actors leading to role conflicts. Research limitations/implications Though the study is limited with respect to its scope, it opens up the debate regarding the position of Chiefs in Ghana’s decentralized local governance system and also serves as a useful point of reference for future research in the decentralization process and the Chieftaincy institution. Practical implications The paper provides an opportunity for stakeholders in Ghana’s decentralized local governance system to review the current decentralization policy to take care of the concerns of the traditional authorities at the grassroots. The recommendations, among others, call for a great deal of consensus building between the Chiefs and local government actors to enhance the success of the decentralization process. Originality/value The paper provides evidence regarding the loopholes in the structure of Ghana’s decentralized local governance system which appear to exclude the traditional authorities thereby affecting the smooth running of that system.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Ghana’s decentralized governance system: the role of Chiefs

Honyenuga

Wutoh²

2019

IJPL

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“…This article analyses the influence of traditional leadership' relationships with municipal councillors on service delivery. The issue of the dysfunctional relationship between councillors and traditional leaders is now one that affects the entire continent rather than just South Africa (Mathenjwa & Makama 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Conflicts and disagreements obstruct rural service delivery and development (Kanyane 2007). Despite the current state of the relationship between councillors and traditional leaders, the current position of traditional leaders in municipal councils may harm rather than improve the relationship because traditional leaders are required by law to serve in local government (Mathenjwa & Makama 2017). Traditional leaders are not represented in the municipality's important committees or in the whole council.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The dynamics of traditional leaders’ relationship with municipal councillors and service delivery

Ramolobe

2023

j. gov. res. innov.

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Background: The power disparity between traditional leaders and councillors is a source of concern for the local government’s developmental focus, as the municipality and traditional leaders do not always agree, even though the service delivery is sorely needed by the people they serve. Although many scholars have written about the roles of traditional leaders and municipal councillors, the critical question that remains unanswered is how their relationship works in terms of service delivery.Aim: This article theoretically investigates the relationship between traditional leaders and municipal councillors and its adverse impacts on rural development.Setting: South African municipalities.Methods: The methodology for this article is a literature review guided by a hermeneutic framework. This article adopted a hermeneutic framework to integrate the analysis and interpretation of information collected from the literature.Results: The power dynamic between traditional leaders and elected councillors has surfaced as a source of concern, as it has the potential to delay and block development.Conclusion: The article concludes that all local government stakeholders must work to strengthen the relationship between traditional leaders and municipal councillors.Contribution: This article has the potential to add to theory, policy and practice in terms of strategies to address the relationship between traditional leaders and municipal councillors in local government.

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“…Traditional leaders comprise kings, other aristocrats holding offices, heads of extended families and other office holders in decentralized polities whose offices are rooted in precolonial states and other political entities (Ray, 2003). Despite their significance, traditional leaders in Ghana, unlike their counterparts in South Africa (Mathenjwa and Makama, 2016), are not integrated into local governance structures. The lack of representation is partly due to the diverse interpretations of leadership (Honyenuga and Wutoh, 2019) and the perception that traditional leadership cannot be fused with democratic institutions (Boateng and Afranie, 2020a;Beall et al, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining the roles of traditional leaders in promoting quality education in Ghana

Boateng,

Owusu,

Baah

2024

IJPL

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PurposeThe government of Ghana since independence has undertaken steps to develop educational infrastructure setup. This notwithstanding, the educational sector is beset with challenges such as low-quality education and low enrolment rates in Senior High Schools (SHS) of children from large households, among others. Given the myriad of challenges bedevilling the education sector, there have been calls for collaboration among public leaders to promote education. The paper, therefore, examines traditional leaders' roles in promoting quality education in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachThrough a desk review approach, the study examines the role of traditional leaders in promoting quality education in Ghana. This approach was adopted due to its flexible nature.FindingsThe study found that traditional leaders have provided educational materials and resources to deprived schools. They have established scholarship schemes for needy but brilliant students, promoted gender parity in education, constructed educational facilities and promoted a healthy teaching environment.Practical implicationsThe paper provides stakeholders in Ghana’s educational sector with the opportunity to review educational policies and include traditional leaders to influence educational policies. The recommendations call for support from the GETFUND and Scholarship Secretariat of Ghana to assist community-initiated projects and scholarship schemes established by traditional leaders.Originality/valueThe paper provides evidence to support the importance of traditional leadership, which has come under criticism from a democratisation perspective in contemporary times.

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Revisiting the participation of traditional leaders in municipal councils in South Africa

Cited by 6 publications

References 1 publication

Ghana’s decentralized governance system: the role of Chiefs

Ghana’s decentralized governance system: the role of Chiefs

The dynamics of traditional leaders’ relationship with municipal councillors and service delivery

Examining the roles of traditional leaders in promoting quality education in Ghana

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