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Parliament's Portfolio Committee Pressures Cogta Minister for Urgent Engagement with Khoi and San Communities

Published November 05, 2024
3 months ago

The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) has taken a decisive stance, urging Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa to promptly engage with Khoi and San communities. The committee, led by Chairperson Zweli Mkhize, has identified the need for swift action to address long-standing issues hindering these communities from receiving the recognition and benefits equitably entitled to them.





Key concerns posed by Member of Parliament Glen Taaibosch stressed the need for legislative reforms. The inability of Khoi and San communities to lodge meaningful land claims directly impacts their capacity to benefit from mineral royalties on their ancestral lands, a right they are currently deprived of. This exclusion not only affects revenue streams but also the acknowledgment and reinstatement of cultural inheritance.


The disparity between recognitions and benefits received by Traditional and Khoi and San leaders is another critical issue. Where some traditional leaders benefit from monthly stipends, housing, and land, among other privileges, Khoi and San leaders remain noticeably undercompensated and, in many cases, wholly neglected.


The legitimacy of the National Khoi-San Council (NKC), which operates as an intermediary endorsing Cogta's agreements and projects, is questioned by the leaders and Tribal Houses of the Khoi and San. The NKC's involvement without proper representation and recognition of the Khoi and San communities adds to the tension, suggesting an oversight that mars the legitimacy of consultative processes.


Calls for the Minister to meet with Khoi and San leaders follow a background of unresolved pledges and meetings that excluded these communities, while consultations with kings and queens were conducted. These omissions add urgency to the Committee's resolve to ensure equal standing for Khoi and San leaders within the traditional governance framework.


Two experts have been engaged to offer the Committee a more nuanced understanding of the issues at hand. Their insights are expected to forge a path for better consultation mechanisms and support the necessary amendments to the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act, 2019 (TKLA). According to the Act, all tribal authorities and traditional councils must hold legal standing by February 2025, which underscores the urgency of the matter.


Chairperson Mkhize, underlining the gravity of the situation, has allotted a one-month deadline for the briefing by the experts. This tight timeline underscores the prioritization of Khoi and San communities’ grievances, and gestures towards a more inclusive future in South Africa's landscape of traditional governance.


The Portfolio Committee's commitment narrates a narrative of hope for the Khoi and San—a hope that the richness of their heritage will not only be preserved but also be integrated into the broader cultural and economic fabric of South Africa.


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