Centurion – On Tuesday, 29 November 2022, Deputy Minister Obed Bapela held a high-level meeting with an Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) delegation led by its Chairperson Mosotho Moepya.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss traditional council elections and the implementation of the Traditional and KhoiSan Leadership Act (TKLA).
Traditional Councils are mainly responsible for administering the affairs of a traditional community in accordance with customs and tradition. They also assist and guide traditional leaders in performing their functions and aid municipalities in identifying community needs.
Through traditional council elections, communities exercise the democratic right of electing their own representatives into councils.
The TKLA provides for the election of members of the traditional council, traditional sub-council and Khoi-San council and vacancy filling. It is also concerned with the administration of kingship or queenship council, principal traditional council, traditional council, Khoi-San council and traditional sub-council and the allocation of appropriate roles.
Also present at the meeting were the Department of Traditional Affairs’ Director-General Mashwahle Diphofa, Deputy Director General Shoki Mogalaldi and advisor to Deputy Minister Bapela, Dr Sifiso Ngcobo as well as IEC’s Vice-Chairperson Janet Love, Commissioner Dr Nomsa Masuku and General Manager of Operations Granville Abrahams.
