Traditional leaders play a vital role, and should be paid for doing so
Those opposing remuneration for traditional leaders do not understand the important and unifying role they play in communities
There are many reasons why payment of salaries for traditional leaders are coming under heavy criticism from some quarters. Opposition political parties have gone berserk following the announcement by the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, in the departmental budget policy speech presentation for the 2017-18 financial year, that izinduna [traditional leaders/advisors] are to be paid monthly stipends sourced partly from a chunk of the department’s cake, as well as from contributions by other departments in the province. The MEC said: "Since 1994 we have improved the remuneration of amakhosi [tribal leaders] and restored their dignity by making them public office bearers with benefits ... we have now introduced the remuneration of izinduna in recognition of the role they play as catalysts for development in our communities. "Although this has had a major impact on the financial position of the department, we beli...
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