By Kgosi Nyalala Pilane, Chief of the Bakgatla Tribe in Northwest
More than a hundred years ago, my ancestors settled our people, the Bakgatla-ba-Kgafela, at Mmasobudule on the Elands River, within what is known today as the Pilanesberg. It is an area rich in platinum, and brim-full of potential.
Traditional leaders in South Africa are custodians of cultural traditions and practices, but it’s also incumbent upon us to bridge the past and the future; to celebrate our history, while still providing the leadership, innovative thinking, and commitment to socio-economic transformation that will uplift every individual in our communities.
For too long, the role of South Africa’s traditional communities have been overlooked, simply because they exist outside of the larger, built-up zones. It’s easy to see how these urban areas are perceived as the sole areas of development, but one of the tasks of the traditional leader is to divorce both perception and practice from the prejudices of the past. We need to address the ignorance, educational disparities and socio-economic exclusion that has pushed us into the shadows, and alert our countrymen to the enormous potential that lies within its rural areas.
I recognise that it’s my solemn duty as a leader to be a champion of progress; a trusted advocate for our people’s aspirations. I take very seriously my moral obligation to address the challenges that hinder our community’s growth, and one of the first steps in this journey is to address the challenges we face in the field of education. Rural areas tend to be sidelined in the national conversation about education, and we need to bring our children not only into the present, but also make them future-ready, by fostering access to technology and introducing digital literacy programs that will enable them to hold their own amongst their big city counterparts.
In the pursuit of these goals, socioeconomic barriers – including those of gender – must be overcome, and this must involve initiatives that include the provision of menstrual health support and safe transportation to and from centres of learning. Gender equality and youth empowerment are not just moral imperatives; they are essential for building vibrant and resilient communities.
Whilst we keep one eye on the future, it’s also important to attend to the issue of adults in our community who are unable to find meaningful employment. We must develop initiatives to stimulate local economies and attract investment into our communities, and this is where infrastructure development comes into play. No community can hope to thrive, let alone compete, without a backbone of good roads, clean water, and reliable electricity. This means ongoing consultation with government, private sector partners, and civil society.
Our communities must be disabused of that mindset that says “government will provide everything.” Traditional leaders must champion a spirit of entrepreneurship that identifies and nurtures local talent and potential. Every able-bodied individual in our villages should be able to provide for his or her family with dignity, whether it’s through securing gainful employment or creating his or her own business.
Naturally, you can’t pursue your goals unless you’re in good health, so healthcare programmes must be aggressively pursued in rural areas which have limited access to clinics, medicines, and healthcare professionals. Work also needs to be done with respect to de-stigmatising and supporting those with mental health challenges.
As we look toward 2025 and beyond, traditional leadership must evolve to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world, whilst still embracing our cultural roots. These two mindsets are, after all, not mutually exclusive. We can challenge outdated practices, and replace them with new ideas, without throwing the baby out with the bath water, so to speak.
Of course, traditional leadership comes with titles and ceremonies, but underlying these tokens of office is our responsibility to the upliftment and prosperity of our people, which requires humility, courage and vision. And no one should be left behind; be it the elderly, youth, women, or people with disabilities.
Saturday Star