MANDATE

Constitution of Traditional Councils

Traditional Councils are constituted as follows;

60% of the council is selected by the senior traditional leaders

40% is democratically elected by members of the community through a ballot or any other applicable election method One-third of those elected should be women

Term of office

The term of office of the Traditional Council is 5 years.

Functions of Traditional Councils

Councils are mainly responsible for:

Administering the affairs of the traditional community in accordance with customs and tradition.

Assisting, supporting and guiding traditional leaders in the performance of their functions.

Supporting municipalities in the identification of community needs

Facilitating the involvement of the tradition al community in the development or amendment of the integrated development plan of a municipality in whose area that community resides.

Recommending, after consultation with the relevant local and provincial houses of traditional leaders, appropriate interventions to government that will contribute to development and service delivery within the area of jurisdiction of the traditional council.

Participating in the development of policy and legislation at local level

Participating in development programmes of municipalities and of the Provincial and national spheres of government.

Promoting the ideals of co-operative governance, integrated development planning, sustainable development and service delivery.

Promoting indigenous knowledge systems for sustainable development and disaster management .

Alerting any relevant municipality to any hazard or calamity that threatens the area of jurisdiction of the traditional council in question, or the well-being of people living in such area of jurisdiction, and contributing to disaster management in general.

Sharing information and co-operating with other traditional councils.

Performing the functions conferred by customary law, customs and statutory law consistent with the Constitution.

Section 81 of the Municipal Structures Act No. 117 of 1998 enjoins 20% of traditional leaders to participate in municipal councils.