Fikeni calls for reopening of training schools for traditional leaders

Public Service Commission Chairperson (PSC) Professor Somadoda Fikeni has called for the reopening of schools for traditional leaders to strengthen governance and service delivery.

Fikeni made the remarks following a meeting with AmaZulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini at eMashobeni Royal Palace in Ophongolo, northern KwaZulu-Natal. The meeting focused on strengthening partnerships between the PSC and traditional leadership structures.

The PSC has been engaging with kingships across the country and plans to compile a report for President Cyril Ramaphosa and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa.

Fikeni says training traditional leaders will improve development outcomes.

“These functions will help in development because they are sitting on the land that they are managing with their communities or on behalf of their communities. If they are trained in land management, in heritage and culture, community safety, how to manage professionally traditional courts, how to chair effectively meetings, how to lead in crafting of development programmes, those in the end will have a positive effect on their subjects,” said Fikeni.

He also proposes the establishment of service centres in traditional areas.

“So we want a one-stop shop where government will receive some of these concerns or complaints and we are able to be the one who run between departments and in all different spheres of government to draw attention of those in resolving the issues. So those are primarily the issues that we have been discussing with His Majesty,” he adds.