LIBODE – The Deputy President of South Africa, Paul Mashatile, has confirmed his visit to King Ndlovuyezwe Ndamase at the Nyandeni Royal Palace in Libode last week.
He reiterated the government’s recognition of the authority of traditional leaders and their critical role in fostering social cohesion and addressing developmental challenges in their communities.
“Our government understands that kings and traditional leaders play a major role in driving development in their areas. We are here to engage with this community to gain a high-level overview of the service delivery issues affecting the AmaMpondo Kingship and explore how best we can strengthen our collaboration with the Kingdom,” said Mashatile.
Mashatile explained that the visit was part of a broader initiative to incorporate traditional leadership in the national development agenda and to foster collaboration between traditional authorities and government.
He emphasised the presence of leaders from different spheres of government under the District Development Model (DDM), which aims to provide a platform for direct engagement with King Ndamase on service delivery challenges affecting the region.
“Our hope is that by working together, we can accelerate the delivery of services that traditional communities depend on and support the Kingdom in its development efforts.”
He underscored the significant role traditional leaders play in promoting democratic governance, stability and sustainable development in rural areas.
Quoting the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act, 2019 (Act No. 3 of 2019), he highlighted the Act’s provision for traditional leadership institutions to advise and participate in development programmes to improve the lives of people in traditional communities.
Mashatile shared insights from his discussions with community leaders, which highlighted critical concerns, including:
• Limited access to water at both the Royal Palace and households within Nyandeni Municipality
• The need to upgrade the gravel road to the Royal Palace to a tarred or paved road
• Maintenance of critical infrastructure
• Electricity shortages
• Under-resourced police at Libode Police Station and the traditional police station
• Support for agricultural initiatives through targeted interventions
• High rates of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), crime, and drug abuse
“These are real issues that our communities are facing, and they require urgent attention. Communities shouldn’t have to resort to protests to get the government’s attention. Instead, we need to initiate and work collaboratively towards solutions. Access to clean, drinkable water, for instance, is a basic human right, and we urge both Provincial and Local Government to resolve this issue for this community,” said Mashatile.
He also addressed the ongoing crisis of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), emphasising the importance of united action to combat the issue.
“We must find ways to put an end to GBVF through community and systemic efforts. Harmful attitudes and behaviours, even casual jokes that demean women, shouldn’t be tolerated,” he said.
He highlighted government efforts, including establishing desks at police stations in hotspot areas, implementing the National Strategic Plan (NSP) on GBVF, and launching initiatives like the Men’s Parliament to promote positive masculinity.
King Ndlovuyezwe Ndamase raised concerns about increasing crime levels and inadequate police staffing.
“We face a shortage of police officers at our stations, and crime is rising. Our hospitals are far away, forcing people to make long journeys, often taking three taxis just to access care. Development in agriculture is lagging as well,” said King Ndamase.
He added that the same issues were raised with former Deputy President David Mabuza, but no action was taken. Now, however, he hopes there will be progress.
“If we do not receive the support we need, we will inform Deputy President Mashatile directly. The problem was miscommunication, but now with direct communication, we believe things will improve.”
King Ndamase also called for government support in helping traditional leaders establish businesses.
“We cannot maintain our homes on our salaries. Government support in this regard would be a significant step forward. However, we face challenges such as being unable to apply for funding from ECDC because of the Persall system, and this is a major issue for us,” he concluded.
